A site in Hobart’s Northern Suburbs will become home to a new youth detention centre, Premier Jeremy Rockliff has announced.
During the handing down of the Commission of Inquiry into child sexual abuse, the Premier said the new centre in Pontville, bordering the Midland Highway, will replace the notorious Ashley Youth Detention Centre with a completely new care model.
“We will use the Commission’s recommendations to inform our work as we continue to progress our plans to close the centre and transition to new contemporary, therapeutic facilities and a model of care for young people who commit the most serious of crimes,” the Premier said in Parliament on Tuesday.
“After a statewide assessment of possible sites for the new facility, today I announce that our Government has identified Pontville in the State’s south as the preferred site for the new Youth Detention Centre.”
“The new facility will deliver a therapeutic and trauma-informed service model that focuses on improving outcomes for young people in terms of safety, well-being and learning.”
“We are also progressing work on the supported residential centres and the assisted bail facilities, our Youth Justice Blueprint and therapeutic model of care which which will be informed by the Commission’s final report.”
The Premier said now that a preferred site has been identified, contractors will undertake site-based assessments, including geotechnical surveys, planning and design processes “which will also inform costings and timeframes for the new facility”.
“Our Government will provide an additional $5 million in 2023-24 for the Ashley Youth Detention Centre to ensure that safety and wellbeing of the children in the Centre continues to be prioritised,” Premier Rockliff said.
“This is an addition to the $50 million already allocated to progress the delivery of new Youth Justice facilities and $11.2 million that has been provided through the Government’s Commission of Inquiry Fund to improve Youth Justice outcomes.”
More to come…
Sexual assault support help is available at 1800 697 877, with support for child sexual abuse survivors available at 1800 272 831.
