Broadside at transfer of youth detention guards

MEMBER for Herbert Phillip Thompson has blasted the State Government for preparing to transfer 15 Cleveland Youth Detention Centre guards to a facility at the centre of a Brisbane COVID-19 cluster.

Yesterday it was revealed that the government was preparing to move the guards to cope with the crisis unfolding at the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre.

Mr Thompson ( pictured) said not only was it a risk for the health of the affected workers and the local community, it would leave those left behind working at the Townsville centre at increased risk of being hurt.

“The safety of youth justice workers at the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre is one of the biggest issues that is raised with me on a regular basis,” he said.

“I am constantly meeting with and being contacted by workers who’ve been assaulted on the job, only to pick themselves up and be hurt again because the state Labor government won’t clean up its mess.

Mr Thompson said he was still advocating for the implementation of regional management zones to prevent the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state.

“What might work for the southeast doesn’t necessarily work for the North but once again the state Labor government has applied blanket restrictions on us all,” he said.

Member for Townsville Scott Stewart hit back saying the Member for Herbert should listen to the clear advice of the Chief Health Officer.

“There are no blanket restrictions on the whole of Queensland,” he said.

“The Chief Health Officer has put tougher restrictions on the City of Brisbane, City of Ipswich, Logan City, Scenic Rim Region, Somerset Region, Lockyer Valley Region, Moreton Bay Region and Redland City.

“In North Queensland these restrictions are not the same.”