Royal commission: Don Dale youth prison where inmates were tied to chairs, hooded and abused should be shut immediately because of years of 'systematic failures and ignorance'

  • Royal commission wants the notorious Don Dale Youth Detention Centre closed 
  • Evidence revealed inmates were tied to chairs, hooded and abused at the centre
  • A $54 million juvenile justice inquiry called for Don Dale to be shut immediately
  • 'Youth justice is supposed to make our kids better, not break them': NT Minister

A Northern Territory royal commission wants the notorious Don Dale Youth Detention Centre closed and an Australian-first increase in the age of criminal responsibility after shocking failures it says have been ignored at the highest levels.

The $54 million juvenile justice inquiry also wants Don Dale's high security unit where boys have been tear gassed, wearing spithoods and shackled shut immediately before the centre's full closure and an end to long periods of isolation and restraint for youth inmates.

The child protection and youth justice royal commission pushes for a major policy shift favouring rehabilitation and community-led measures over electorally popular 'tough on crime' solutions. 

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Dylan Voller was one of the high-profile faces of the youths handcuffed, hooded and strapped to restraint chairs at Don Dale in the footage aired on TV last year that sparked the inquiry

Dylan Voller was one of the high-profile faces of the youths handcuffed, hooded and strapped to restraint chairs at Don Dale in the footage aired on TV last year that sparked the inquiry

'The time for tinkering around the edges and ignoring the conclusions of the myriad of inquiries that have already been conducted must come to an end,' commissioners Margaret White and Mick Gooda said on Friday as their final report was released. 

The commissioners said systemic failures occurred over many years and were ignored at the highest levels. 

'The failures we have identified have cost children and families greatly, they have not made communities safer and they are shocking,' they said.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner promised the most comprehensive overhaul of youth justice in territory history. 

The $54 million juvenile justice inquiry also wants Don Dale's high security unit where boys have been tear gassed, wearing spithoods and shackled shut immediately

The $54 million juvenile justice inquiry also wants Don Dale's high security unit where boys have been tear gassed, wearing spithoods and shackled shut immediately

'The failures we have identified have cost children and families greatly, they have not made communities safer and they are shocking,' the commissioners said about Don Dale (pictured) 

'The failures we have identified have cost children and families greatly, they have not made communities safer and they are shocking,' the commissioners said about Don Dale (pictured) 

Mr Gunner said it was sobering that the report was borne out of the treatment of children in the NT government's care at Don Dale 

Mr Gunner said it was sobering that the report was borne out of the treatment of children in the NT government's care at Don Dale 

'We cannot let this report sit on the shelf gathering dust like so many that have come before,' he told a community event for the final report's release.

Mr Gunner said it was sobering that the report was borne out of the treatment of children in the NT government's care.

'It will live as a stain on the Northern Territory reputation,' he said.

'For this I am sorry. But more than this I'm sorry for the stories that live in the children we failed.

'Youth justice is supposed to make our kids better, not break them.' 

The commissioners said systemic failures at the centre occurred over many years and were ignored at the highest levels 

The commissioners said systemic failures at the centre occurred over many years and were ignored at the highest levels 

'For this I am sorry. But more than this I'm sorry for the stories that live in the children we failed,' NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said 

'For this I am sorry. But more than this I'm sorry for the stories that live in the children we failed,' NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said 

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, the attorney-general and indigenous affairs minister said most of the royal commission's recommendations are matters for the NT but the federal government will carefully consider the findings.

Many of the recommendations have wider implications for all jurisdictions, they said.

The royal commission believes its youth justice recommendations will save the NT government nearly $336 million over the next decade.

In contrast, if no action is taken youth detention costs would rise to $113 million a year, from $37 million, by 2026/27. 

Dylan Voller (pictured) was one of the high-profile faces of the youths handcuffed, hooded and strapped to restraint chairs at Don Dale in the footage aired on TV last year that sparked the inquiry

Dylan Voller (pictured) was one of the high-profile faces of the youths handcuffed, hooded and strapped to restraint chairs at Don Dale in the footage aired on TV last year that sparked the inquiry

The commissioners advised the Gunner NT government, which has already committed to replacing Don Dale (pictured), to instead invest in small facilities

The commissioners advised the Gunner NT government, which has already committed to replacing Don Dale (pictured), to instead invest in small facilities

'Human costs dwarf financial considerations and if no action is taken these will continue to escalate beyond the already unacceptable levels,' Ms White and Mr Gooda said.

The commissioners advised the Gunner NT government, which has already committed to replacing Don Dale, to instead invest in small facilities.

Dylan Voller was one of the high-profile faces of the youths handcuffed, hooded and strapped to restraint chairs at Don Dale in the footage aired on TV last year that sparked the inquiry.

'Dylan Voller & other detainees who gave evidence have been vidicated,' he lawyer Peter O'Brien tweeted. 

Ms White and Mr Gooda said youths like Mr Voller were incarcerated, ignored and deprived of their basic needs and held in unspeakably bad conditions at Don Dale (pictured) 

Ms White and Mr Gooda said youths like Mr Voller were incarcerated, ignored and deprived of their basic needs and held in unspeakably bad conditions at Don Dale (pictured) 

Ms White and Mr Gooda said youths like Mr Voller were incarcerated, ignored and deprived of their basic needs and held in unspeakably bad conditions.

The commission wants the age when children can be charged, brought to court and imprisoned lifted from 10 years to 12, in what would be a first for Australia.

It also called for an end to the detention of kids under 14 years unless they have been convicted of a serious crime and to the use of restraints and isolation for managing detainee behaviour.

The NT's peak Aboriginal organisations want the commission's recommendations implemented fully. 

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