Come Home Safe: meeting with Minister Ward
30 July 2019
Today, Tuesday, 30 July 2019, the É«ÀÇÉçÇøand delegates from each Detention Centre met with Minister Ward and Ms Lee Shearer who has been appointed to independently to review the riot at Frank Baxter.
The General Secretary, Mr Stewart Little, wrote to Minister Ward on 25 July 2019 in respect to the deteriorating discipline and structure of the Department. You can read the letter HERE.
Our letter and what was affirmed from the É«ÀÇÉçÇøto Minister Ward today comes down to safety and security for our members.
We have argued that current policy and procedures in managing these high-risk detainees is inadequate, we have detailed the infrastructure of each of your detention centres fails to provide a safe working environment and despite continual good faith by you the Department has ignored your requests for change.
The riot at Frank Baxter confirms the deterioration and the system is in crisis.
The É«ÀÇÉçÇøpresented to Minister Ward immediate steps that can be enacted by Youth Justice and they include:
- An immediate independent safety and security audit across all centres with agreement given from Minister Ward that this will be undertaken by Corrective Services NSW, SOG Unit.
- Review of the classification, age of detainees within each centre and how they are housed within each centre.
- Give Juvenile Justice staff the ability and the support to use the current legislative powers to their fullest under the Act.
Minister Ward today affirmed the following:
- An independent review into the Frank Baxter riot which will be undertaken by Ms Shearer.
- Over 18-year-olds who continue to threaten or assault staff to be transferred Corrective Services.
- There have been enough reviews and there is now time for action.
- Committed to consult with the É«ÀÇÉçÇøand delegates on the findings/recommendations from the review into Frank Baxter riot.
The É«ÀÇÉçÇøwill take an active role within the review into the Frank Baxter riot and we ask each of you to also share your concerns and issues with Ms Shearer at: ">.
The matter that is currently set for arbitration with the IRC in relation to the Cease Unsafe Work action which was taken on 9 June 2019, we are currently in discussion with the Department to have this matter resolved.
What can you do in the meantime?
- Ask a work colleague join the É«ÀÇÉçÇøtoday
- Make the union strong by forwarding this bulletin to your colleagues
- Attend É«ÀÇÉçÇømeetings at your worksite
- Get involved become a É«ÀÇÉçÇøDelegate
Not a member? JOIN online!
Your É«ÀÇÉçÇøstaff
Julie Bond – Senior Industrial Officer ">
Gino Di Candilo – Industrial Officer