New-rapid built Wacol Youth Remand Centre on track for 2024 completion

• The Wacol Youth Remand Centre will now consist of 76 beds, more beds than originally planned, thanks to the innovative work by the Queensland Police Service and partners.
• With design and construction being fast-tracked, the project is now to be completed in a single stage rather than separate stages, And critical foundational works are currently well underway.
• The Centre will reduce the number of young people in watchhouses and support stronger access to education and therapeutic services.
• With the project announced in late-2023, the facility is on track to be completed by late-2024.

Rapid-build construction has set the Wacol Youth Remand Centre on course to be completed this year, helping reduce the number of young people in watchhouses.

Queensland Police Service (QPS) in close consultation with the Department of Youth Justice and partners has specially designed the state-of-the-art facility to best support young people in custody.

Thanks to the innovative work of the Queensland Police Service, the capacity of the facility, which was originally 50 beds, will now be increased to 76 beds.

The increase in detention capacity will help support frontline police in keeping Queenslanders safe, while ensuring young people have access to essential services while in detention.

The Wacol Youth Remand Centre will reduce the number of young people in watchhouses and lead to improved outcomes through the delivery of essential education and therapeutic services while in detention.

Located on the Wacol Police Complex, the centre is strategically co-located with Brisbane and West Moreton youth detention centres, allowing easy access to educational, medical, health and other services.

The Centre will include 76 beds and common open-air exercise areas.

The facility will be operated by the Department of Youth Justice and house young people in detention exclusively until the new youth detention centres open in Woodford and Cairns.

The project commenced in late-2023, and with a rapid build methodology the facility is on track to completed by late-2024.

Quotes attributable to Premier Steven Miles:

“My government will continue to invest in the prevention, intervention and detention programs that work.

“With more Police and targeted high visibility police operations taking place around the state, we are seeing an increase in arrets and offenders in custody.

“The Wacol Remand Facility will act as additional remand capacity while two new youth detention centres are built, to minimise the time young people are held in watchhouses on remand.

“With its close proximity to the Wacol Police Complex, young people will have access to the education, health care and rehabilitation services needed to get back on the right path.”

Quotes attributable to Police and Community Safety Minister Mark Ryan:

“The rapid construction of this fast-tracked facility will support the frontline in keeping the community safe.

“It will ensure young people are appropriately held in custody and will free up operational police capacity across the state.

“We know early intervention and prevention is crucial in diverting young people from a life of crime and we have committed significant funding to a raft of programs helping do just that.

“However, for those young people held in custody, this facility will provide all services to help address the social issues that contribute to their offending behaviour.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Youth Justice Di Farmer:

“The government has listened to the community, and we are putting community safety first.

“We are tacking the root causes of crime and doing more than ever to break the cycle of offending.

“When these young people come into the system, we want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to stop them returning.

“Every time a young person interacts with the justice system is a chance for change. 

“This new facility will give young people access to the range of therapeutic programs and services they need to help turn their lives around.

“Its co-location near other detention facilities means better access to support services. This includes help from primary health and mental health practitioners, speech pathologists, case workers, cultural staff and education officers to support best-practice rehabilitation of young people.”

Quotes attributable to Acting Commissioner Steve Gollschewski:

“Our first priority is community safety, and the Wacol Youth Remand Centre is one tool that will help ease pressure on the frontline.

“It will significantly boost watchhouse capacity and support our frontline officers in focusing on keeping communities safe.

“Police will continue to work closely with partner agencies to take action to protect the public, boost initiatives that enhance community safety and invest in our early intervention programs that help break the cycle of young people offending.”

Quotes attributable to Director-General of Youth Justice Bob Gee:

“Changing the behaviours of young people while they are in detention keeps the community safe.

“Getting young people to take responsibility for their behaviour, to reengage with education, training or employment when they return to community is what detention centre staff and our partners are focused on.”

ENDS

Media contacts 

Minister Ryan’s Office: Ph: (07) 3035 8300

Police Media: Ph: (07) 3015 2444