Youth Justice Strategy, Alice Springs
WRITTEN QUESTIONS
10th Assembly
19/03/2008
273. Youth Justice Strategy, Alice Springs
Ms Carney to MINISTER for Justice and Attorney-General
QUESTION
With reference to the existence of a Youth Justice ‘strategy’ mentioned by you and your colleagues during the recent parliamentary sittings:
(1)Will you provide the Member for Araluen with a copy of the strategy.
(2)Will you advise what and which agencies and individuals you met with to assist in the development of the strategy so far as it relates to Alice Springs.
ANSWER
Answered on 27/06/2008
The Northern Territory Government has committed $2.5M to a broad strategy to combat youth crime and antisocial behaviour.
The Strategy has three main elements:
limiting access to the youth diversion program, so that repeat young offenders will face court, not diversion ;
the introduction of Family Responsibility Agreements and Orders, and programs to support families and young people. The Agreements and Orders will commence on 1 July 2008 and be administered by the Department of Health and Families; and
the introduction of youth camps in Alice Springs and the Top End.
Limiting Access to Youth Diversion
Amendments to the Youth Justice Act have been made to prevent young offenders being referred to diversion programs more than twice.
Young people who repeatedly break the law will face court, and tough penalties, including detention.
Family Responsibility Agreements and Orders
New Family Responsibility Agreements will hold parents accountable for their child’s antisocial behaviour or criminal activity.
Parents who are unwilling to enter an Agreement, or breach their Agreement may face a court imposed Family Responsibility Order.
Police can also seek a Family Responsibility Order immediately where a young person has been charged with an offence or breached a bail condition.
If the conditions of the order are not met, parents will face fines of up to $2200, the seizure of non-essential household items or a Community Work Order.
Centres will be established in Darwin and Alice Springs to case manage the young people and families who are subject to Agreements and Orders, and to maintain a network of youth and family support services to which families and young people can be referred.
Youth Camps
Under the Youth Justice Strategy, Government will establish youth camps in the Top End and Central Australia.
The camps will work with those kids who are at risk of criminal behaviour, getting them back on the right path.
The camps will work with other youth organisations, including the new centres, to give guidance and support to young people, assist them develop life and work skills and get them back to school or into training.
Under the Strategy, three youth camps have been established and are operating in both the Top End and Central Australia. During 2008-09, Government will work to expand these options.
A consultant, Mr Tony Kelly, was engaged to develop options for a youth camp in Alice Springs.
A list of the persons consulted by Mr Kelly in his work on the Central Australia youth camp and associated services follows.
List of people consulted:
Bernie Geary, Child Safety Commissioner for Victoria
Dr Phil Crane, Youth Studies, Queensland University of Technology
Paul Stoltz, Director, Typo Station
Roger Pugh, Cape York Institute
Pam Searle, Consultant, Brisbane
John Collins, Director, Murrumbidgee Rural Studies Centre, Yanco, NSW
Dale Murray, Director, Flexible Learning Centre Network, Edmund Rice Education Australia
Associate Professor Sue McGinty, School of Indigenous Studies, James Cook University
Tony Lee, Indigenous Consultant, Broome
David Murray, Director, Youth Substance Abuse Service
Karl Hampton, MLA, Stuart, NT Parliament
Allan Cooney (Director), Sam Miles, Vin Lange, Centrefarm Aboriginal Horticultural Ltd
Phil Anning, Regional Director for Central Australia, DPIFM
Debbie Roberts, Station Manager, DPIFM
Peter Campbell, Manager Indigenous Engagement, NT Geological Survey, DPIFM
Tony Freshwater, Indigenous Pastoral Program, NT Cattleman’s Association
John Baskerville, Executive Director Southern, DCM
Tracey McNee, Manager, Alice Springs Youth Accommodation and Support Service
Beth Mildred, Manager Central Australia, Chamber of Commerce NT
Geoff Sloane, Senior Policy Advisor, Central Australian Coordination Unit, DHCS
Andrew Miller, Pastoralist, Hamilton Downs
John Gaynor, Senior Ministerial Advisor, Office for Central Australia
Anne Tregae (Manager) and Fiona Madigan, Gap Youth Centre Aboriginal Cooperative
Steve Brown, Advance Alice
Tony Corcorran, Stephanie Bell, Donna Ah Chee, John Botha, John Liddle, Jane McQueen, Leshay Maidment, Steven Putts, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
Ren Kelly, Chairperson, Hamilton Downs Youth Camp Management Committee
Sharyn Elkin, Senior Advisor, Employment and Training, DEET
Jennie Renfree, Senior Program and Policy Officer, Youth Diversion, NT Police
Vivien Wilson (Director) and Norman Latham (Management Committee member), Teen Challenge Centralia
Graham Ross, Youth Worker
John Adams and Reg Hatch, Tangentyere Council
David Koche (Acting Mayor), Marguerite Baptiste-Rooke (Councillor), Meredith Campbell (Councillor) and Rex Mooney (CEO), Alice Springs Town Council
Rita Henry, Regional Director, DEET
Gerard Jones, Manager Residential Care & Sector Development, Child Protection and Family Services Branch, Victorian Department of Human Services
Rick Hanlon, AFL Kickstart, Cape York
Terry Flanagan A/Regional Director, Moreton, Queensland Department of Communities
Terry O’Brien, (Accredited Training Coordinator) Rob Davies (Community Programs Coordinator), The Outlook, Queensland Department of Communities
Lorraine Brown (Coordinator) and Martin Kelly, Centre Education Program, Logan City
Michael Tansky, Director, Youth Policy, Queensland Department of Communities
Maureen O’Regan, Child Safety Tribunal, Queensland
Simon Kelly, Child, Adolescent and Family Counsellor, Brisbane
Stewart Wiley, Coordinator, Youth Diversion Program, Julalikari Aboriginal Corporation, Tennant Creek.
Gary Scapin, Senior Policy Advisor, Community Services, DHCS
Charlie Stewart, Biribi Coordinator, Youth Substance Abuse Service
Allan Brahminy, Director, Brahminy Youth, Eva Valley, NT
Greg Crowe and Ann Davies, Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
Will McGregor, Manager, Bush Mob
Mark Coffey, Commander, Southern, NT Police
Mark Dokoe (Principal), Peter Imms (Community Liaison), Tim and Cherie, Yirara College
Andrea Martin, Regional Manager, Southern, DLGHS
Robyn Donnelly (Director) and Gary Jones (Youth Diversion Unit Case Manager), Relationships Australia NT, Alice Springs.
Pat Miller, Director, Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Service and Deputy Administrator of the NT
Annette Jamieson, Principal, Alice Springs High School
Bruce McGregor, Coordinator, Alice Springs Youth Centre
Lorraine Brahm, MLA, Braitling, NT Parliament
Lu Steurt and Lynn Buckley, FACS, DHCS
Joanne Earl, Principal, Centralian College
Blair McFarland (Coordinator) and Tristan, Central Australian Youth Link Up Service
Alan Murray, Charles Darwin University (previously Alice Outcomes)
Elva Cook, Traditional Owner, Injarrtnama
Bob Durnam, Administrator, Western Aranda Health Aboriginal Corporation
Phil Cowan, Ranger, Owen Springs Reserve, NRETA
Pauline Hickey (Team Leader, Placement Support), David Ross (Senior Manager, Reform), Sheryl Weeks (A/Team Leader, CATS), Phill Da Costa (Team Leader, FACS), Sarah-Jane Zaichenko (A/Team Leader OOHC), Kay Gilbert (A/Team Leader, Child Protection), Dee Lehman (Team Leader, Tennant Ck), Prue Walker (A/Client Services Manager), Megan Murdock (Team Leader, Youth at Risk), Julianne Donnelly (Senior Manager, FACS), DHCS Alice Springs
Phil Brown (Superintendent, Alice Springs Prison) and Peter Richards (Manager Community Corrections, Alice Springs), Department of Justice
Leo Abbott, Traditional Owner claimant, Owen Springs
Roger Sneeuwjagt, Canvas and Tent Australia.