The Tasmanian Government is set to pay $75 million in damages to over 130 class-action claimants who were at the state’s Ashley Youth Detention Centre from 1960 to 2003.
It is understood the deal was reached following a two-week mediation period.
The claimants allegedly suffered ‘serious injuries’ from ‘systemic negligence’ at Ashley.
The case alleges the state government failed to take ‘reasonable care’ in the selection and supervision of staff at the centre, which allegedly resulted in staff being hired despite links to outlaw motorcycle gangs, or despite complaints of physical or sexual abuse of young people.
It is also alleged there were instances of AYDC staff encouraging detainees to attack each other, or leaving younger or female inmates unsupervised and unprotected against older male inmates.
The former detainees were represented by lawyer Angela Sdrinis and her firm.
In a statement, she said the settlement offer was “very fair” but still needs the approval of a judge.
“If we hadn’t resolved this today then the cost, the delay, the trauma to our clients, this weeping issue that Ashley has become to this state would have just kept on going,” Sdrinis said.
It has now been more than 1,000 days since the state government promised to shut down the facility.
