Breach Bail go to Jail to exacerbate existing prison overcrowding.

The Report of the Qld Inspector of Detention Services on the Wacol Youth Remand Centre tabled in the Qld Parliament this morning  highlights inevitable overcrowding problems that will occur with Qld Juvenile jails arising from the Breach Bail Go to Jail law currently being examined by a Parliamentary Committee.

The Wacol Youth Remand Centre was opened in April 2025 and is separate from the Brisbane and West Moreton (Wacol) Youth Detention Centre. The Remand Centre is designed to hold children  while waiting for a vacancy at the State’s three other detention Centres(see p6 Report).

Civil Liberties Council Vice President , Terry O’Gorman, said that the Report predicted that the Breach Bail Go to Jail law raises ( the possibility) that “children will need to be detained in large numbers and for lengthy periods in ( police) watchhouses as a result of the new laws.”( see Report p15).

“ This prediction highlights the ongoing failure of Qld’s Youth Justice Minister and the Premier to provide an impact statement of the extent of further overcrowding which will result from the mandatory minimum 12 month jail sentence for breach of bail young people will face under the new laws,”Mr.O’Gorman said.

Mr. O’Gorman said that this is against the background where the Qld Productivity Commission Report on Government  Services 2026 reported that in 2023-2024 ( the most recent period for which figures are available) Qld had the highest number of children detained in youth detention centres in the country. ( see Report p14)

Mr.O’Gorman said that the Wacol Remand Centre was originally built as a watchhouse for the QPS and the Report describes “ its infrastructure as austere and institutional. As with other watchhouses there is a lack of space, privacy and natural light which children need.” ( see Report p5).

Mr. O’Gorman said that the even staff at the Remand Centre  told the Inspector “ about the centre’s lack of grass and natural light and that limited time outdoors was having a negative impact on children’s mental health.” ( see Report p12).

Mr.O’Gorman said that the Youth Justice Minister’s ducking and weaving in avoiding constant media questions as to the capacity of youth detention centres and the Wacol Remand Centre to handle the expected surge  in Qld’s  juvenile jail numbers  with the Breach Bail Go to Jail law must end.

The Inspector’s prediction of juvenile jail increased numbers under the new law has to be addressed by a considered and detailed impact statement which the Minister must immediately undertake and make public,” Mr.O’Gorman said.