Queensland department to review youth justice media ‘gag’

The news

The Youth Justice Department has agreed to review contract clauses which community leaders feared would gag frontline organisations from speaking to media under risk of funding loss, Queensland’s social services sector has revealed.

Representatives of the Queensland Council of Social Services, Queensland Youth Justice and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak, Youth Advocacy Centre and department on Friday after fears around the contracts were revealed by this masthead.

Queensland Council of Social Service chief executive Aimee McVeigh and Youth Advocacy Centre chief executive Katherine Hayes speak to journalists outside Parliament House in 2024.Credit: Matt Dennien

“This is the right outcome. Community sector organisations make a vital contribution to public debate and a healthy democracy. We thank the department for listening to the sector and acknowledging this,” QCOSS chief executive Aimee McVeigh said.

Why it matters

As promised in its campaign, the Crisafulli government launched and funded a range of new youth justice programs delivered by a range of non-government organisations.

A July document on the Youth Justice website contains details of the “contractual requirements” for such groups and others providing existing services funded by the department.

These bar groups and their staff from sharing details about funded programs with media, but also go further – including required notification of the department if contacted by media.

While acknowledging the department’s concern for the privacy of children, social sector groups and other community leaders had warned the changes went further and would stifle debate.

What they said

In a joint statement with the other social service groups after Friday’s meeting, McVeigh described the talks as a “genuine and good discussion between everyone” which resulted in an agreement the department would consult the sector further and review the clauses across the next fortnight.

QATSICPP deputy chief executive Murray Benton said the rights of children needed to be at the forefront of all and the outcome showed the government was committed to working with the sector.

Youth Advocacy Centre chief executive Katherine Hayes said she was pleased with the department’s willingness to have open discussion on the matter.

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“It’s vital that the youth justice debate is informed and frank, and the community sector plays an important role in this discussion,” Hayes said.

Another perspective

The department had previously said such contract clauses relating to program-specific details and personal information were a “longstanding practice”.

Contacted for comment on Friday afternoon, a spokesperson said it had called the meeting the groups to “understand concerns around the scope of some contractual clauses”.

The clauses “are not intended to gag organisations”, the spokesperson said, “but provide assistance to new organisations, which was done on the basis of legal advice.”

“The intent of these provisions remains to provide protection for funded service providers and their staff, youth and victims of youth offending by ensuring identifying information is not inadvertently published or provided to media agencies in potential breach of the Youth Justice Act.

“The department has agreed to consult with the sector further and review the contracts clauses over the next fortnight to ensure that intention is clear.”

Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber had echoed the department’s earlier position and highlighted the government’s “$560 million of new early intervention and rehabilitation programs to help turn the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis”.

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