Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) is highly concerned by the 'Boot Camp' proposal announced by the LNP today.  

YANQ Director Siyavash Doostkhah has raised concerns with the proposal, saying, “the young people in Queensland most likely to end up in these boot camps are Aboriginal young people, since they are the most over represented group in the criminal justice system.  

"Heavy handed approaches have not worked with this group in the past and there is no evidence they work for any young person.   “There are much more appropriate and proven models such as Adventure Based Counselling, which have a focus on experiential learning and with discipline as an integral part of the process”, Mr Doostkhah said. 

“It is disappointing that we still look to US for solutions when we know that they have the highest rate of crime in the western world. Boot camps have been operating in US for decades and various evaluations have highlighted that they just don’t work. However they seem to have maintained their popular appeal in the US and every now and then it raises its ugly head in Queensland”.  

Mr Doostkhah was also concerned that the soft reputation of modern 'boot camps' belied the violent truth behind the LNP's proposal.  

“Boot camps are about shock incarceration and breaking down individuals, similar to practices sanctioned in Guantanamo Bay. Boot camps rely on dominance and degradation, and this is certainly not what we want to role model for these young people”, he said.  

“The violence and oppression experienced by Aboriginal people in Queensland throughout the European history of Australia is well documented and boot camps will only add to this by adopting the same authoritarian strategies which have failed Aboriginal young people since European settlement”. 

YANQ believes that the LNP should focus on the second part of their plan, which is about supporting young people and their families. The money spent on boot camps could instead go a long way towards funding the support programs LNP has announced for young people and their families.

Following reports this morning in the The Courier-Mail of the bashing of 21 year old Noa Begic by Gold Coast police, Youth Affairs Network Qld’s director, Siyavash Doostkhah, calls for an inquiry into the Queensland Police Service’s actions.

“The Queensland Police Service is there to serve and protect the Queensland community, and particularly those that are vulnerable,” said Mr Doostkhah, speaking today in Brisbane.

“However, this shocking incident of abuse of a young person in custody is a significant breach of trust by Gold Coast police. As the peak body for youth affairs in the state, we call on the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission to launch an inquiry into how our police have got so out of hand.

The State’s Crime and Misconduct Commission received around 1300 assault or excessive force allegations against the Queensland Police Service in 2010/11. The CMC has also conducted several investigations of the QPS in recent years, including into the actions of Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley and Policeman Benjamin Price.

“It is of particular concern to us that Mr Begic alleges racial vilification and physical abuse by police during the journey back to the Orchid Avenue Station.

“We have been working with refugee, migrant and indigenous organisations for over two decades to stamp out racism in this state. To hear that the Queensland Police Service continue to be complicit in racist acts shocks us deeply, and we hope that this compels all Queenslanders to act.”

For comment, contact YANQ Director Siyavash Doostkhah on 07 3844 7713.

See more about the campaign to stop police violence here

From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)
by: Suellen Hinde

CHILDREN as young as 11 should be screened for mental illness and given preventive therapy in schools, health experts say.

Primary and high school screening programs should be implemented Australia-wide to help treat the disease later in life, claims a new report from some of the country's leading health economists.

Mental health bodies have backed the plan, but youth advocates have raised concerns it could lead to Australia becoming a "Prozac nation".

New research was undertaken by health economists at Deakin, Melbourne and Queensland universities as part of a bigger project looking at the cost effectiveness of preventive health interventions for the National Health and Medical Research Council.

The analysis found 35 per cent fewer children in the 11 to 17-year age group were likely to develop depression after screening and intervention.

Mental health experts from The Black Dog Institute have thrown their support behind the plan.

"If we could screen our children for cancer at school and prevent it we would, so why not mental illness?," Black Dog Institute executive director Professor Helen Christensen said.

Prof Christensen said the development of depression could begin at 11 with the onset of puberty.

One in five 13-year-olds in Australia have depression.

"This is an opportunity for the Government to do something," she said.

But youth advocates are concerned it could increase the use of medication in young people.

Youth Affairs Network of Queensland is concerned the proposal could stigmatise young people.

"We have evidence of a lot of stigma around the new disorders that have been created such as ADHD," director Siyavash Doostkhah said.

Fair Work Australia (FWA) yesterday announced its decision on the Federal Equal Remuneration Case, acknowledging that pay rates in the community sector have for too long undervalued workers and been based on gender. YANQ Director, Siyavash Doostkhah, welcomed FWA's decision today, saying, “It's a decision that has the possibility to create a stronger community sector and support front-line workers in assisting some of the most disadvantaged people in our society, including at risk youth”.

“It can also assist us in attracting the next generation of workers to the sector, and to truly value the amazing work that community workers do”.

However, Mr Doostkhah also warned that these advances may be limited if the decision is not backed by adequate funding from Federal and State Governments.

“The deicison is positive, but now we need proof of the pudding. We acknowledge the comprehensive funding package committed to by the Federal Government for federally funded workers, but now call on the Queensland Government to match this to ensure there isn't a gap.”

“The 2009 Queensland Transitional Pay Equity Order was historic in the same way as the FWA decision, and although the Queensland Government did provide $414 million to fund the increase, the decision was not fully funded, and some community workers were left out in the cold. This meant services had to foot the bill themselves, impacting on the quality of the service they were able to provide.”

“In order to truly implement the spirit of the FWA decision, all federal and state funded positions must be provided with a full subsidy so the Equal Remuneration Case does not impact on the quality of the sector's services. Let's use this opportunity to build a stronger community sector that can provide excellent services and acknowlege the incredible work done by workers.”

For comment, contact Siyavash Doostkhah on 07 3844 7713.

N.B. Queensland services should note that for some organisations, the Queensland Transition Pay Equity Order remains in place until the federal rates exceed state pay equity rates. Organisations should seek advice on their individal position. The Queensland Council of Social Services has a list of links on the Community Door website to inform organisations of the changes.