New youth detention centre in QLD to cost more than $600 million

ABC NEWS (Australia)

It's been revealed a new youth detention centre in Queensland will cost more than 600 million dollars. The government's scrambling to convince Queenslanders, it's doing all it can to protect them from crime.

Transcript

00:00 Turning a paddock into a prison.

00:04 Detention is a critical component of keeping the Queensland community safe.

00:08 One, two, three.

00:10 The Premier revealed details as he broke ground on the site at Woodford.

00:15 80 beds costing $627 million and ready by 2026.

00:21 And there's more to come.

00:23 We will build another detention centre in Cairns.

00:27 We will complete the Wacol Remand Centre.

00:30 Pressure on youth detention facilities has been steadily growing.

00:34 Right now there are 289 young people inside.

00:38 Another 70 children are in police watch houses.

00:42 Queensland has more young people in detention on an average day

00:46 than New South Wales, Victoria, the ACT, South Australia and Tasmania combined.

00:55 Last year youth detention officers walked off the job over assaults and understaffing.

01:01 We were short on staff six months ago when I started.

01:04 Now we've got over, we're overstaffed but we're going to keep recruiting.

01:09 The new facilities are being called therapeutic centres

01:12 with treatment rooms, education spaces and places for cultural connection.

01:17 Almost 70% of young Queenslanders in detention are indigenous.

01:23 We have seen some success overseas with the therapeutic model

01:28 in terms of turning around young people from a life of crime.

01:33 While the government focused on youth justice...

01:36 I am waiting on the waiting list.

01:38 ...the opposition was in Ipswich hosting another town hall on health and hospitals.

01:43 Family members dying without dignity, you know, it's heartbreaking.

01:49 The wait times are too long. Where are all the doctors? Where are they?

01:53 60% ambulance ramping.

01:55 This is the most under pressure emergency department in the state.

01:59 A situation the opposition calls a crisis.

02:02 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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