Queensland youths self-harm in adult-style remand centre amid bail law changes

An inspection of Queensland’s Wacol Remand Centre revealed that children detained there for periods ranging from a week to over a month are increasingly engaging in self-harm to hasten transfers, according to Inspector of Detention Services Anthony Reilly. The centre, built as an adult police watchhouse and transferred to the Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support in April 2025, lacks grass, natural light, and private spaces, creating an “austere and institutional” atmosphere detrimental to mental health.

Staff reported that signs of distress typically emerge after about two weeks, especially among youths from north and far-north Queensland awaiting beds at Townsville’s Cleveland Detention Centre. The report warns that the Crisafulli government’s new mandatory-sentence bail-breach laws may exacerbate overcrowding in the state’s three youth detention centres and the newly announced Woodford YDC, potentially leading to larger numbers of children being held longer in unsuitable facilities.

Queensland Council for Civil Liberties vice-president Terry O’Gorman and Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber have both voiced concerns, with the premier David Crisafulli defending plans to add 2,000 new prison beds despite capacity constraints. The findings highlight the broader issue that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, who comprise about 70 % of detained youths, are especially vulnerable to self-harm in such environments.