18-year-old to be deported, despite moving to Australia from New Zealand aged 10

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A teenager allegedly held in solitary confinement in a Western Australia detention centre is still in the unit more than 300 days later.

His mother says he is seeking to transfer to the adult prison because “any place has to be better than here”.

In January Guardian Australia revealed an Amnesty investigation into allegations two teenagers had been held in isolated cells for more than 250 days, and three allegedly subjected to extended periods of solitary confinement.

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Guardian Australia understands one of the two boys was sent back to the general detention population this week, but another remains in the notorious cells formerly known as the Harding Unit, now called the Intensive Support Unit.

“He’s getting his required time out of the cell at the moment but they aren’t giving answers about when he’ll get back to general population,” his mother said.

“He’s 302 days now and he’s done nothing to still be in there.”

While serving his sentence at Banksia Hill, her son is also awaiting trial on charges related to his involvement in a destructive incident at the centre in May. He has been in the unit since the incident.

Since the reports he has been given a few hours out for a couple of days each month, his mother said.

He was also issued a deportation notice for when he finishes his sentence, despite moving to Australia from New Zealand when he was 10 years old, and having no support network there.

In January former Northern Territory juvenile detainee, Dylan Voller, attempted to meet with the teenager - who is now 18 - but was refused entry to Banksia Hill.

According to the teen’s mother, a guard took her son aside to ask why Voller would want to visit him, making the remark: “so two abused boys can have a cry together?”

“I was really angry about that,” she said.

WA Corrections said it was unaware of any such allegations but noted there were mechanisms for detainees to make confidential complaints.

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“The department is responsible for the ongoing support and wellbeing of young people and takes any allegations of mistreatment seriously.”

It said the focus of the Intensive Support Unit was to help detainees reintegrate into the general population.

The teenager’s mother said she is frustrated and angry that her son remains in an isolated unit after 10 months, being told he has no prospect of leaving it. She said he told her he would apply to transfer to the adult prison, than “any place has to be better than here”.

“It’s fair that he’s let out of Harding, he’s done nothing to warrant being in there apart from doing an interview with Amnesty International,” she said.

The woman, who lives in Kalgoorlie and is unable to regularly visit her son, said in January she was not told her son’s mental health had declined and he had become a continuous self-harmer.

“He put on a brave face for quite a long time and I just don’t trust that he isn’t doing the same thing,” she said. “I can’t physically tell whether he’s ok [because I’m in Kalgoorlie].”

She also claimed she had sought to speak to her son’s psychologist but had been denied since the original stories came out.

Writing on Facebook, the woman called for supporters to check in to the detention centre in protest.

“The government has ignored our cries to release the boys from the isolation unit, and back in to general population,” she said. “As a mum, I have pleaded, I have threatened, I have done all I can. I am now asking everyone to stand with me, my son and the other boys who have been severely mistreated.”

Amnesty’s original allegations, drawn from interviews with the detainees, included: deprivation of family contact and education, excessive use of force and disproportionate restraints, degrading treatment and lack of adequate medical treatment – including psychological care.



WA Corrections said young people were not held in solitary confinement at Banksia Hill.

“Some young people in the department’s care have complex needs or require targeted care and intervention, as a result of being at risk of harm to themselves or others, and may be accommodated in the Intensive Support Unit,” the spokesman said.

“While being accommodated in the Intensive Support Unit, young people are provided with programs, education and daily activities. They have access to the same privileges as other young people and participate in a structured day between 70am and 7.30pm.”

An investigation into the allegations by the Inspector of Custodial Services is expected to report in March.