Ms ROSOL question to MINISTER for CHILDREN and YOUTH, Mr JAENSCH
Minister, the commission of inquiry detailed many shocking stories about Ashley Youth Detention Centre. One of these is the so‑called December 2019 roof incident. The COI detailed how three young people were:
…subjected to isolation practices for at least 11 days that potentially did not comply with Tasmanian law or policy or international human rights standards.
The troubling conduct did not stop there. The commissioners highlighted how certain staff falsified documents to cover up what happened. They particularly point to the conduct of centre manager Patrick Ryan and two staff given the pseudonyms Maude and Chester. The COI report says:
We were advised the department had either acted or is waiting to take action against each of Mr Ryan, Maude and Chester regarding the roles they played in the December 2019 roof incident.
Minister, we know Mr Ryan was moved sideways from Ashley to a position elsewhere in the State Service. Are either Maude or Chester still working at the centre?
Madam SPEAKER – The question was out of time, but it is about whether or not they are still employed, minister, in case you did not hear.
ANSWER
Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I thank the member for her question. I understand it was cut short, but I will do my best to answer it.
Dr Woodruff – Are either Maude or Chester working at the centre?
Madam SPEAKER – Thank you; the minister was reminded of the question as it came through the Chair.
Mr JAENSCH – Madam Speaker, first and foremost, this government is absolutely committed to learning from understanding the content and the findings of the commission of inquiry’s report and implementing its recommendations in full. We have committed to that already and nothing has changed, including in the area of youth justice, the reform of our youth justice system and the matters raised in relation to Ashley Youth Detention Centre.
I can confirm that when any allegation is raised against a member of staff in Ashley or other department settings relating to child abuse, the state servant is removed from the workplace and processes are put in place to ensure immediate notification of all relevant agencies and referrals while investigations are ongoing.
If there is a staff member who has had allegations of abuse raised against them, they have either been removed from the workplace while these investigations were ongoing, or those processes have already been undertaken and they have either left the service or it is deemed appropriate that they return to work. Employees are not in the workplace while any investigation is ongoing or before an investigation has been fully resolved.
The member referred to staff with pseudonyms that have been applied by the commission of inquiry. I do not have information on the identity of those people. The commission of inquiry was careful to conceal their identity for the purposes of procedural fairness in the conduct of investigations and potentially the integrity of police investigations that may be underway still. I will review the detail of your question in Hansard and provide any further follow up to my answer if I am able to.
