Premier flags ambitious opening date for new youth detention facility as Unit 18 closure calls persist

Premier Roger Cook has revealed a 2026 opening date target for WA’s new high-security juvenile detention facility and refused to commit to a coroner’s advice around Unit 18. The controversial facility was opened in July 2022 — within Casuarina Prison — in response to turmoil at Banksia Hill Detention Centre. And calls for its closure grew after Cleveland Dodd’s self-harming death in October 2023. Wrapping up oral evidence from the teen’s expedited inquest on Wednesday, Coroner Phil Urquhart gave 18 provisional recommendations including the closure of Unit 18 “as a matter of urgency”. He said it was “not appropriate” to detain young people in a maximum-security adult prison over the long term, noting the cell block was intended to temporary. But Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia said in September it would remain open while a new $100 million replacement was built on the existing Banksia Hill site. He did not provide a completion date as the final design had not been finalised. On Thursday, Mr Cook said his Government was committed to the project. “That project is already taking shape, and we are hopeful to develop it as quickly as possible in 2025 with, I think, an opening in 2026,” the Premier told reporters. Asked where the urgency was, given the 16-year-old boy’s self-harming death was 14 months ago, Mr Cook replied: “Well, developing infrastructure is always frustrating because you have to do it properly”. “But we are moving speedily through this process,” he insisted. The Premier was pressed on whether Unit 18 could be closed before the new facility was built. The inquest was told an option could be to house the handful of Unit 18 detainees - totalling just nine last week - in a Banksia Hill wing named Jasper, which is being strengthened in a bid to withstand break-outs and riotous mayhem. “We will obviously treat the findings of the coroner’s report with respect and appreciation,” Mr Cook said. “And we’ll consider them carefully and make sure that we are taking on board the suggestions from the coroner about how we can better run facilities.” Mr Cook was also asked about Mr Urquhart saying that if Unit 18 remained open, detainees should only be housed there for a maximum of six weeks at a time and not returned from Banksia Hill for at least two months. “I’ll leave that up to the experts to decide,” the Premier said. “But we should be careful about making assessments or judgments about Banksia Hill and Unit 18 based upon events that took place some some months ago, when we know, for instance, that things have significantly improved.” He pointed to a substantial fall in youth detainee numbers from three digit-figures before Labor took office to 62 currently thanks to diversionary programs. He also said out-of-cell hours had risen and more services were being offered inside the facilities. Law Society of Western Australia president Paula Wilkinson said the timeline for completion of the new facility seemed extremely optimistic, but it was still too long to wait before closing Unit 18. “The Law Society is encouraged that the government appears ready to respect the Coroner’s findings, once released, but that respect must be translated into action,” Ms Wilkinson said. “Unit 18 has never been the right place to detain children and the Law Society urges the government to close it ahead of the Coroner’s findings, and to move the detainees to a wing of Banksia Hill where they can receive appropriate treatment. “It has to be hoped that the department has listened to, and taken on board, all that has fallen out of this inquest - it could not be clearer that things need to change in the juvenile detention space, and quickly.” Liberal leader Libby Mettam promised her party would close Unit 18 if it won the next election, saying the difficult cohort it housed could be accommodated within Banksia Hill. “We will be announcing further options in the lead up to the next election,” she said. “It is important that those juveniles that do the wrong thing are detained, but Unit 18 must be closed and will be closed under a Liberal-led government.” The coroner has scheduled June 3 for closing submissions and noted that people including Cleveland’s mother Nadene Dodd would be wondering “why on earth” so much time had been allowed for final written submissions to be lodged. He said that was because the large number of lawyers involved had a “huge” amount of material to go through, with the inquest taking place over 34 days, hearing 31 witnesses, with more than 130 exhibits tendered and over 4300 pages of transcript written. Other provisional recommendations made by Mr Urquhart included having mental health support on standby for significant events for detainees such as bail refusals and employing a further six case workers, up from just five currently. Another was operating policies and procedures stating that an in-cell intercom call did not constitute a welfare check. Cleveland made multiple calls on his final, tragic night in Unit 18, repeatedly asking for water, a nurse and paracetamol - and threatening to take his own life eight times. Lifeline 13 11 14