The Tasmanian Greens welcome the renewed calls from more than a dozen social service and justice organisations for the State Government to close Ashley Youth Detention Centre as an urgent priority, and to work with community services to progress the safe and therapeutic alternatives available.
The Commission of Inquiry's final report highlighted the "live and current risk" of sexual abuse at Ashley, and the human rights abuses accuring for children in detention there right now. It clearly expressed the need for the centre to be closed urgently.
The Commissioners were so worried about the situation at Ashley, they made the terribly difficult decision to prioritise finalising their inquiry quickly rather than pursuing further matters. They even directly called out Minister Roger Jaensch for casting doubt on the closure of the Centre by 2024, saying "we are gravely concerned by any suggestion of further delay".
Despite these powerful and unequivocal statements by the Commission of Inquiry, Minister Jaensch has refused to admit there are immediate risks facing young people at Ashley, and refused to provide the timeline for the Centre's closure. An indefinite timeline to ending the everyday human rights' violations and harm to children is unacceptable.
Given the Minister has shown he has not done, and is not prepared to do, the work required to close Ashley urgently, the Premier needs to intervene and make sure this matter is addressed as the Commission of Inquiry expected.
There is more that can be done, and community and justice organisations who work with young people have proposed a pathway to early closure. The Greens call on Jeremy Rockliff to lead where his Minister won't, explore the alternative safe options being suggested, and close the Ashley Youth Detention Centre as soon as possible.
