2025 State election: WA Liberals vow to close Unit 18 in 100 days, yet to say where juveniles will be kept

Unit 18 will be closed within 100 days if the Liberals win the WA State election, but the party is yet to say where the high-risk juvenile detainees will be kept. The unit inside the adult men’s Casuarina Prison was set up to house the most troubled and violent detainees in the wake of a destructive 2022 riot at Banksia Hill Detention Centre . The following year, 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd took his own life inside Unit 18, becoming the first juvenile to die in detention in WA. The Government has promised to shut the unit, but only after a high security youth detention centre — currently in the design and planning stage — is built next to Banksia Hill. Liberal leader Libby Mettam previously promised to close Unit 18 within 12 months, but on Monday put a much tighter timeline on the pledge. “We will be able to do that within 100 days,” she said. Asked if the detainees would return to Banksia, Ms Mettam said details would be released ahead of the March 8 election. “We will be releasing our plan in relation to this. It can be achieved,” she said. “The Cook Labor Government has failed when it comes to youth justice in this State.” Ms Mettam said the promise did not mean juvenile offenders would not face consequences under a Liberal Government. “There will be real consequences when it comes to youth crime under a government I lead,” she said. “There will be real rehabilitation under a government I lead to ensure that we do not have a revolving door of offenders going through the justice system.” Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia said the 100-day pledge was “confirmation” the Liberals were not serious about juvenile crime. “There is a very small number of complex and challenging, but very often violent and dangerous juveniles, that we get into detention that must be managed in the best possible way,” he said. “They’re incarcerated because the courts decide they are not safe in the community. “They need right now, to be in Unit 18, because that is the best place we have for that management.” Mr Papalia said the new high-security facility had to be designed and planned before a time could be given. “That means that people who are ill informed, should not be making comments with respect to timings for closing (Unit 18),” he said. The stoush comes as both parties seek to position themselves as tough on crime, with Labor promising life-sentenced prisoners released by the courts will face life-long parole conditions and the Liberals vowing to spend $500 million boosting police numbers. The issue of law and order, particularly youth crime, has been seen as a major factor in recent defeats of Labor governments in Queensland and the Northern Territory. Lifeline 13 11 14