The State Government’s failed attempt to establish a youth remand centre on the Sunshine Coast is set to cost Queenslanders a staggering sum.
The police watchhouse at 3 Gregson Place, Caloundra, had been chosen for a short-term holding facility for young accused awaiting trial, but the controversial proposal was abandoned after a public outcry.
As revealed by Sunshine Coast News, Youth Justice began awarding tenders and gutting the facility in November, even though public consultation was ongoing and the centre was not formally approved.
After considerable backlash and a plea to the State Government by Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt, Minister Linard halted the proposal in January.
Since then, Youth Justice and Queensland Police Service (QPS) department heads have been haggling over who should foot the bill for the repairs, with a compromise now reached that will see the departments share costs.
When pushing for the remand centre, Youth Justice had described the existing facility as “decommissioned”, while police always maintained it was operational and not in need of an upgrade.
The watchhouse remains in a state of disarray as a new budget is formulated for its reinstatement.
SCN understands the minimum cost of restoring the watchhouse will be at least $3 million.
This will be on top of the $380,000 the government has already outlaid on the no longer relevant planning, design and consultation related to the defunct youth centre.
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Tens-of-thousands of dollars in new air-conditioning units (pictured above), earmarked for the remand centre, have been sitting behind the police station for several months.
A spokesperson for the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs (CYJMA), responding to questions from SCN, revealed what had been spent to date.
“The department spent $35,000 on community consultation and has been invoiced $345,000 for initial works, including design and preparation for upgrades to the facility’s systems (such as fire, security and ICT) for the youth remand centre,” the spokesperson said.
“These systems were due for replacement, meaning the work was required regardless of whether the building was used as a watchhouse or as a short-term remand centre.
“Some purchased materials are no longer on site, but will be used for the operation of the watchhouse, or used for alternative purposes by the department, including within youth detention centres.”
A QPS spokesperson said their department was now managing the remediation work, in conjunction with CYJMA.
“The QPS has engaged the Department of Energy and Public Works to develop the project design, cost estimates and program,” they said.
Member for Ninderry Dan Purdie, a former detective who was part of the successful campaign to halt the youth remand centre, said the government had blown a fortune in Queenslanders’ money on this failed project.
Mr Purdie said the overall cost would hit $3.5 million, which could have built a new police station or funded a much-needed boost to officer numbers in the region.
“This watchhouse was fine. It did not need an upgrade and indeed had not been scheduled for one, and one had not even been mentioned or planned for in any budgets,” he said.
“I know local police are struggling with high workloads and a number of people away on leave, including stress leave.
“They would have much preferred this sort of money going towards more staff and helping protect the public from crime.”
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