New dept to tackle teen crisis

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk’s latest cure for Queensland’s crisis-ridden youth justice system is a new bureaucracy.

Following escalating pressure over scores of children serving time in police watchhouses, the Premier yesterday appointed Deputy Police Commissioner Bob Gee as Director-General of a new Department of Youth Justice.

Ms Palaszczuk said he would co-ordinate public servants already working in youth justice and deliver current programs to stop children offending in the first place.

Approached by the Premier’s office on Thursday, Mr Gee will begin the job on Monday, just four days notice.

The Bulletin understands the decision to create a new department did not go to Cabinet for approval.

Ms Palaszczuk declined to reveal exactly when the decision was made.

The appointment follows further revelations around children as young as 10 being held for weeks at a time, and an investigation into allegations one young girl was placed in a holding cell with two alleged paedophiles.

As 60 children yesterday languished in watchhouses, Mr Gee said he wanted “clear action” and set himself the deadline of “as soon as possible” to end the practice.

He said it was “very, very clear that we need to build more beds”, but that health, education and employment all had to figure in a restorative justice model that began at prenatal stages to age 25.

Mr Gee, who narrowly missed out being appointed as Police Commissioner last month, said he thought “very, very hard” before giving up his 34-year police career.

Mr Gee said he wanted to see individual case management around each individual child and support processes for their families.