A charter of children's rights has been introduced at the troubled Bimberi youth detention centre following revelations of alleged abuse and drug use inside the facility.
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The charter was announced by Minister for Youth Rachel Stephen-Smith on Tuesday and covered basic rights such as the need for detainees to be treated with dignity and respect.
ACT Greens community services spokeswoman Caroline Le Couteur has been a vocal proponent for such a move and previously criticised lengthy delays in its development.
The Australian Children's Commissioners and Guardians peak body group first released a model children's rights charter in 2014.
"When it comes to protecting the rights of children, we cannot afford any further delay, particularly given the apparent erosion of cultural practice in the Bimberi facility among some staff more recently," Ms Le Couteur said.
"This news arrives not a day too soon for young people in detention, their families, and the wider community."
Liberals youth spokeswoman Elizabeth Kikkert criticised the charter as a "smokescreen of goodwill" with little power to actually resolve systemic failings within the ACT's youth justice system.
Roxanne Moore from Amnesty International Australia said the charter was a positive step, but more fundamental change was needed.
"We need a root and branch overhaul of the abusive 'injustice' system across Australia, and it is Prime Minister Turnbull who needs to step up and lead this," she said.
Allegations of violence, drug and alcohol use, and racial abuse inside the 40-bed facility were recently uncovered by The Canberra Times.
These included allegations that children had been choked, encouraged to fight each other and had been supplied with illicit drugs by guards.
The ACT Human Rights Commission is currently investigating the detention centre, with a specific focus on the use of force and strip-searching procedures.
The government's charter will enshrine 12 basic rights for children in youth detention and will be distributed throughout the Bimberi facility.
Bimberi youth workers will be briefed on the charter, which will also form part of the core training module for all new staff.
On Tuesday, Ms Stephen-Smith addressed recent Bimberi allegations in a ministerial statement to the ACT Legislative Assembly.
"A number of matters have also been brought to the attention of the Human Rights Commission, which is undertaking its own investigation," she said.
"Of course, this scrutiny affects staff morale. But what is particularly hurtful is the airing of unsubstantiated allegations that cast aspersions on all Bimberi staff."
Recent investigations undertaken by the Community Services Directorate found no evidence to support allegations of drug use or organised violence within the facility, she added.
In her statement she also updated members on other developments within the youth portfolio.
These included the introduction of a taskforce to "improve outcomes for young people engaged with the youth justice system" and routine reporting measures to better scrutinise Bimberi's operations.
"Over the last few months we have seen an increase in the number of young people in youth detention. That's something the taskforce will look at," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
"Members will be pleased to hear that the use of strip-searching has been reduced dramatically since young people were detained in Quamby – down by 90 per cent and continuing to fall," she added.
"Since the commencement of operations at Bimberi, use of force incidents have decreased by 60 per cent…this reflects improved training in critical incident management but it also demonstrates how challenging the work remains."
