Committee Details

Committee’s report

The committee tabled its Report No. 21, 57th Parliament - Inspector of Detention Services Bill 2021 on 21 January 2021. The Bill was passed without amendment by the Queensland Government on 30 August 2022.

About the Bill 

On 28 October 2021 Hon Shannon Fentiman MP, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Minister for Women and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence introduced the Inspector of Detention Services Bill 2021 into the Queensland Parliament. The Bill was referred to the Legal Affairs and Safety Committee for detailed consideration. 

View: Introductory Speech
View: Inspector of Detention Services Bill 2021
View: Explanatory Notes 
View: Statement of compatibility

OBJECTIVES OF THE BILL

The purpose of the Bill is to promote the improvement of detention services and places of detention with a focus on promoting and upholding the humane treatment of detainees, including the conditions of their detention, and preventing detainees being subjected to harm, including torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

This will facilitate greater transparency and accountability in the way that places of detention, and the people detained within them, are managed by establishing a framework for the review of detention services and inspection of places of detention, and independent and transparent reporting, to support their improvement. The focus of the Inspector will be on the prevention of harm rather than responding to complaints when harm occurs, and this preventative focus will examine the systems and the lived experiences of people detained.

This Bill will address recommendations stemming from a number of reviews into the Queensland criminal justice system since 2016 which have recommended the establishment of an independent inspector over adult correctional services, youth detention centres and/or police watch-houses. This includes: the Independent Review of Youth Detention (IRYD), the Queensland Parole System Review (QPSR), Taskforce Flaxton: An examination of corruption risks and corruption in Queensland prisons (the Taskforce Flaxton Report) and the Queensland Productivity Commission’s Report: Inquiry into imprisonment and recidivism (QPC Report).

There is currently no single body whose primary function is the independent oversight over places of detention and detention services through a system of regular inspections and reviews, with the aim of promoting and upholding the humane treatment and conditions of detained persons.

Further information

Further information including written briefings from the department, the response to submissions, transcripts from proceedings and answers to questions taken on notice are under the Related Publications tab.

Timeline