YANQ Director Siyavash Doostkhah was on Triple J's Hack program this evening as part of a special feature on Qld continuing to lock young people up in adult prisons. You can listen to the podcast here - http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/triplej/hack/daily/hack_thu_2012_11_22.mp3

 AN investigation has revealed the use of excessive force by staff at Queensland's youth detention centres.

Restraint techniques used to control young people are being reviewed by the Justice Department after a report by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian highlighted "systemic issues" at the state's two centres in Brisbane and Townsville.

The report examines the cases of six young detainees who suffered serious injuries between September 2009 and November 2010, including a dislocated shoulder and fractured upper arm; four fractured wrists; and a fractured forearm.

One of the youngsters, who suffered a broken right wrist after being put in transport wrist locks by two workers, was just 148cm (4ft 10in) tall and weighed only 28kg.

The technique involves immobilising a young person's forearm and then bending their hand inwards, causing medium to high levels of pain.

Youth Affairs Network of Queensland executive director Siyavash Doostkhah said the report was "disturbing", especially with the State Government prepared to open Queensland's first two boot camps.

Mr Doostkhah welcomed the recommendations but said "an urgent independent inquiry" was needed, which should investigate excessive use of solitary confinement.

A Department of Justice spokesman said the recommendations were being addressed.

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Coalition of Community Boards' and YANQ's Trish Ferrier discusses Get Set for Work with 4ZzZ.

Listen to the interview online here.

The Get Set for Work program was one of many initiatives that will cease to exist after the Newman Government cut funding to the Skilling Queenslanders for Work scheme.

Currently it is set to expire at the end of the year, but youth advocates say the State Government may not be able to choose to cut the funding.

The Coalition of Community Boards (CCB) has put together research which it says shows the State Government has a responsibility to provide young people with vocational training programs.

Under the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 the government has a duty to "ensure (a) employment skills development programs are developed to meet the diverse needs of young people in the compulsory participation phase; and (b) the programs are accessible by young people in the compulsory participation phase".

A member of CCB and Treasurer of the Deception Bay Community Youth Program Trish Ferrier says by cutting the Get Set for Work Program, which specifically targets young people, the government is in breach of its statutory responsibilities as set out in the Act.

She spoke with Brisbane Line Reporter Steven Riggall about the issue.

Youth Affairs Network Queensland believes young people have been the hardest hit by the Newman Government's savings drive, and community groups dependant on state funding are too fearful to speak out.

Queensland's peak body for youth affairs predicts there'll be more young people behind bars in the state within a year due to the LNP's cost cutting measures.

Click to listen to the feature

Guests Siyavash Doostkhah
Director, Youth Affairs Network Queensland
Elizabeth Fraser
Commissioner, Commission of Children and Young People and Adult Guardian

Credits
Reporter
Cathy Ban Extel, Queenland reporter

Darryl Passmore of the Courier Mail wrties that Premier Campbell Newman's public servant gag orders a return to bad old days.

THE Newman Government has been accused of trying to silence dissent by "intimidating" critics in the community sector. Senior staff of state-funded organisations have received phone calls telling them their presence at rallies protesting against Government spending cuts has been noted.

It has drawn comparisons to the Joh Bjelke-Petersen era and his goon squad of Special Branch police.

Other groups who have been quoted publicly on the impacts of cost-cutting measures have received "please explain" calls.

Youth Affairs Network of Queensland, which will lose its $270,000 annual funding from December after 20 years as the state's peak body for youth services, claims it was punished for making a public call to other groups to unite against cutbacks.

In a newsletter article, executive director Siyavash Doostkhah had criticised the Government over cutbacks affecting the disadvantaged and attacked other non-profits as traitors for "remaining silent during these critical times".

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