Westbrook a stain on child welfare

In the last decade of the 20^th century there was growing suspicion that a Queensland State residential institution for boys not only failed to promote their 'reformation and rehabilitation', as was claimed, but neglected and abused them.

The institution had its origins in 1871 when a floating prison hulk was converted to a boys' reformatory under a Superintendent of the Water Police. In 1881 the inmates were transferred to a Reformatory at Lytton, moving in 1900 to Toowoomba, and from 1986 called the Westbrook Youth Detention Centre.

Boys under 18 were sentenced to imprisonment by Childrens' Courts, a magistrate responsible for ensuring the boys were properly cared for, complaints investigated, and deaths reported to the Colonial Secretary.

However Westbrook officials seem only rarely to have applied their duty of care. Annual reports published over decades by the Department of Children's Services were strikingly different from residents' personal accounts. The strong emphasis on discipline at times arguably amounted to torture, a picture confirmed when boys spoke freely to the new breed of university social workers, journalists and other professional observers in the 20th century.

OFFICIAL REPORTS MISLEADING

In 1966 the Department of Children's Services provided a typical official report on Westbrook:

'The home has experienced another most satisfactory year, not only in regard to the behaviour of the boys but also in their training and general rehabilitation. It must be borne in mind that in a home such as the Westbrook Training Centre, the majority of the boys prior to entering the Home have never had any discipline and if they had they might not have been committed to care and admitted to Westbrook. Discipline, therefore, plays an important part in their rehabilitation … It would seem that if the boy knows there is a code of discipline and that there are consequences if he does not observe it, they can behave acceptably … Ten boys have absconded or attempted to abscond in the past twelve months and in the majority of these cases the absconding or attempt has been in the early period of residence.

'In attempting to help boys of this type …it is necessary that they should have available avenues to improve their attitude of living, including general and religious education, treatment of sickness or handicaps, good examples of conduct and bearing, and opportunity to exercise self-control and industrious habits. If this can be implanted in the period of residence, there is every prospect of successful rehabilitation.

'… Manual training activities have proved to be beneficial ... General education is also provided and classes are held on two evenings each week.

'Each boy is encouraged to take part in some sporting activity because … idleness… has been one of the problems …

'Excellent results were achieved again with the Berkshire pigs at the Toowoomba show ... '

However, journalists and other independent observers increasingly found that official reports hid the true nature of the regime, with homosexual men using boys as partners, bashings, and prejudice against Indigenous lads.

DISQUIETING RUMOURS

The 1971Westbrook Annual Report stated Stipendiary Magistrate P. D. Peel was appointed to conduct an inquiry into mass escapes, violence, excessive drill, homosexuality and the standard of food.

The inquiry surprisingly revealed 'no serious deficiencies', although a recommendation was made regarding 'prevention of homosexual practices'.

Reporter Brian Bolton of Sunday Truth challenged Mr Peel's claim that 'every avenue to obtain evidence … has been explored'as he had received a phone call from a final-year social work student in contact with former Westbrook boys prepared to give evidence of serious misbehaviour, but Mr Peel did not contact him.

On drill "Some of the Training Officers did require exercises to be performed in such continuous repetition that they would cause fatigue and muscle soreness" and an exercise described as "walking backwards up the wall"was not demonstrated as Mr Peel thought it would be "almost impossible to perform"!

The regulation on drills stated "The person in charge may punish … misconduct by …physical exercises, with proper rests under supervision, for a period not exceeding 30 minutes on any one day", although Peel found drilling hours were usually 8am to 3.30pm with a break for lunch, and he discounted evidence that boys sometimes drilled for 12 hours.

Peel saw physical conflict as inevitable but blamed the boys: "No doubt when a lad of the nature of some of these inmates plays up even to the extent of shaping up to an officer …it is a problem to decide how to handle him without using some violence and without giving the impression of 'backing down'which could be most undesirable".

Mr Peel's remark "seeing boys ask for more than one helping of food indicates that there is nothing wrong with the quality"seems naïve: as one boy commented "You get so hungry you'd eat anything".

Neither the 1961 open enquiry nor the 1971 c1osed inquiry brought change in official attitudes.

However, a new dimension of understanding gradually developed with more understanding of human behavior from academic disciplines. One outcome was that Westbrook boys were helped to find their own voice.

1972: RECORDED INTERVIEWS.

Boy A: 'It's not very good in there, particularly for the dark boys, the way they get treated …quite often they get beat up for no apparent reason. One day an absconder was brought in and Mr Z hit his head against a steel gate … And when [boy B] ran away and was brought back Mr Z stuck into him too'.

Interviewer. 'How did you know this happened?'

Boy A: 'I saw it. I was in the maximum security all the time … That's where [Boy B] ran away from, and Mr Z was on when he came in'.

Interviewer. 'So even in maximum security it can't be very secure?'

Boy A: 'No it's not …they all used to go over the wall …now they've put wire over the detention side, chicken wire, but you can still get out …Last Tuesday [Boy C] and two officers had a fight and [Boy D] come in to help …And while that was going on some knives were stolen. Anyway, later on, [Boy E] was in the cell and Mr Y, Mr X and Mr W all come in and beat him up and busted his ear and made it bleed, and busted his mouth, they all come in'.

Interviewer. 'Now you said earlier the officers will only get on to you if there's at least three officers onto one bloke'.

Boy A.'Oh, generally there's two or three … Even when there's a fight between the white fellers and the dark fellers the dark fellers always get the hidin''.

Interviewer. 'Just because the officers don't like darkies? You say that even though you're not dark yourself?'

Boy A.'That's right. I've seen the way it happens…And, uh, I spent a month in a cell because of that … I was talking to them and he [an officer] told me it was unnatural to have anyone who was not my own colour for a mate.'

Interviewer. 'Unnatural?'

Boy A. 'Yeah. He said he wouldn't punish me if I fought a dark feller, but if I fought a white feller …'

Interviewer. 'So, you'd say most of the officers in there are against the darkies?'

Boy A. 'Mmm. Even the head ones. One officer he's pretty good eh and some others, but most of them …'

Interviewer. 'What percentage of the officers would go in for bashing?'

Boy A. 'All of them ... when the fight was on, Tuesday, [Boy E] was in the detention side, he had a knife and he was pretty upset and … there was seven staff members and two coppers come and two other staff and they all went in there and took in the baton …and they were all going to get stuck in him then ... Except [Boy E] didn't really give them a reason …he can fight a bit and they didn't want to tackle him, but if he'd have been a dark fellow they would have got stuck into him straight away…'

Interviewer. 'The pound is the solitary confinement?'

[Boy A].'It's the remand section, the drill section, where they keep anyone who's a bit of a troublemaker. When I came back the second time they only let me go upstairs for about five minutes and then they sent me back down again. I stayed down there all the time'.

Interviewer. 'It's generally the place for punishment?'

[Boy A]. 'Yeah, you do drill down there'.

Interviewer. 'Drill. How do you mean? Marching up and down?'

[Boy A].'No. It's all these different kinds of exercises, kangaroo hops and push-ups and running and things'.

THIS DAY TONIGHT. CHANNEL 2, ABC, 25 July 1972

Announcer Mike Minehan: 'It's just a year since the report of the closed magisterial enquiry into the Westbrook Training Centre for juvenile offenders was released. The report, tabled by Health Minister Mr. Tooth, whose portfolio then embraced Westbrook, acknowledged violence and homosexuality. It made eight recommendations, including the discontinuance of slapping and striking of inmates by officers, it recommended that a seminar be held about the drill exercises, which were the punishments meted out, allegedly quite harshly. And it also recommended that officers be alerted to prevent opportunities for homosexual offences.

'Westbrook is now covered by the portfolio of Labour and Tourism Minister Mr. Herbert, and today his office told TDT that all magisterial recommendations had been implemented, except the revision of regulations in Westbrook, and this is now being done. We were also told that any new allegations of homosexuality are not true. There is always the risk of them occurring but they are under control.

'So far, so good. But today, the Labor Shadow Minister for Welfare, Mr. Brian Davies, called for a further enquiry into Westbrook. He said it shouldn't be a closed enquiry like the last one twelve months ago, but one open to the public. Mr Davies is in receipt of six transcripted interviews from former inmates. They allege brutality, punishment in the form of drill exercises and homosexuality are still occurring in Westbrook.

'Today, through a source other than Mr. Davies, TDT met and talked to two former inmates who between them have served fourteen months there, recently released. They asked not to be named or identified, but they did agree to talk with Des Power'.

Reporter Des Power: 'In the last year have you witnessed any acts of brutality in Westbrook?'

'Yeah'.

DP: 'What have you seen?'

'I've seen kids beat up, 'n kicked 'em'.

DP: 'How were they beaten up?'

'The officers just punch into them, kickin' em -- down the cells, there. Usually come in when you're asleep, 'n kick into you. 'N' when you're awake, you know, you can't see anything, just a boot comin'at your face.'

DP: 'Do they use anything to bash you up with?'

'Oh, yeah -- the keys. The chain'n all the keys, on the chain'.

DP: 'Why do they do this?'

'Alotta kids, you know, act a bit smart to the officers, because like the officers can always get back at 'em, you know, 'cause the officers act smart too …I've seen officers twist their arm behind their back, while another officer's kicked into 'em, punched into 'em. Or they hit 'em with keys.'

DP: 'In the last year, have you done or seen any drill exercises done for punishment?'

'Yeah'.

DP: 'What sort of drill exercises are they?'

'Kangaroo hops, push-ups …'

DP: 'What's the kangaroo hop?'

'Well you get down, and you gotta put your hand on your knee 'n hop round …'

DP: 'Have both of you done these?'

'Yes …'Bout thirty or forty push-ups and when you're doing them you have lesser food'.

DP: 'Both of you probably know that there have been allegations of homosexuality in Westbrook. Now in the past year have either of you seen or heard of any homosexual practices in Westbrook?'

'Yeah, every now and then'.

DP: 'Have the officers at Westbrook done anything to control or stop these practices?'

'Nah… all they do is just … treat it as anything else, you know. Just take you down the pound, bring you out in a coupla days' time'.

DP: 'What's the worst thing you've seen happen in Westbrook, in the last twelve months?'

'When a boy got belted up by nine officers. They took him in the bathhouse … took off his pajamas, took off his singlet, 'n then four of them come from the bathhouse, and about four or five come from the back entrance, 'n they dragged him in a little corner there 'n punched into him, kicked into him … twisted his arm, you know, 'n kickin' him, then they put his arm under his leg then they walked him …down the pound, they punched into him again in the guard-room, put him in a cell'.

DP: 'Did you see this happen?'

'Yes'.

DP: 'With their fists?'

'I was standin' just outside the cell there … I can hear boys singin' out, you know, someone hittin' 'em. That fellow next mornin' when I saw him, he had a swollen up face'.

EYEWITNESS NEWS. Channel Seven. 31 July 1972.

'Mr. Brian Davis [Queensland Legislative Assembly] today called for a Parliamentary enquiry into conditions at the Westbrook Training Centre. Mr Davis said this was the only way to bring allegations of homosexuality, racism, sadism and brutality at the Centre into the open'.

Interviewer: 'Well, Brian, do you feel that the past complaints have been swept under the carpet?'

BD: 'The second enquiry …finished approximately twelve months [ago] and now [we have] these allegations in the dossier I have here, quite an extensive one, so I think they must have been swept under the carpet …the inmates or the people concerned have been too fearful to come forward …'.

Interviewer: 'Do you intend to make public … the facts you've got at your disposal?'

BD: 'I will at the first opportunity … On the judicial enquiry, it would have to be a public enquiry before I'd let this out of my hands, and thirdly the one I feel is the most important should be a select Parliamentary enquiry … to get more facts'.

Interviewer: 'What sort or frame of reference would you want for this?

BD: 'I'd favour a couple of things. Firstly on the age of the inmates -- I feel that thirteen to sixteen seems to be a pretty fair gulf between age groups …There must be a lot of complaints when we see there's been ninety escapes since September. And don't forget the report came out in July. So I feel this must be part of an enquiry, not just one taking complaints. Today I've had complaints again from parents … who are too frightened … to come forward, whereas they may come forward to parliamentarians'.

Interviewer:'Well, given the fact that this is part of your portfolio in the shadow cabinet, what improvements in the present system generally, and Westbrook in particular, would you envisage Labor making?'

BD: 'Well, with my parliamentary committee we feel we've got to get the help of interested people -- and there's a lot of people, like social workers, who would like to see an open type of prison … We should be able to come out with a fair comprehensive report'.

COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY

Decades of complaints were brought to a head in 1998 when Queensland Governor Leneen Forde established a Commission of Enquiry. Its report stated 'The evidence from witnesses to the Inquiry and from archival material shows Westbrook to have been a harsh environment, with a heavy emphasis on punitive measures and little on rehabilitation and treatment ... Far from assisting in their rehabilitation, many of the incarcerated children would have left the institution more damaged and dangerous to the community than when they were admitted'.

OFFICIAL APOLOGY

'We the government and churches together welcome the report of the Forde Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions.

'We acknowledge that there have been failures with respect to the children entrusted to our care, despite all the good the Institutions did in the light of their day. The result has been a system in which some children have suffered maltreatment, and their social, emotional, and physical needs have been neglected.

'We sincerely apologise to all those people who suffered in any way while resident in our facilities, and express deep sorrow and regret at the hurt and distress suffered by those who were victims of abuse.

'We accept the finding of the Forde Inquiry that government under-funding and consequent under-resourcing was a significant factor in the failure to provide adequate services to children in care.

'We are committed to establishing and continuing dialogue with victims of abuse in institutions to discuss the basis for providing appropriate responses. We acknowledge that discussions are well advanced between some parties.

'We are committed to working together with victims of abuse in Institutions to ensure the provision of appropriately coordinated services through the establishment of a "one stop shop", as recommended by the Forde Inquiry. This initiative will be integrated with church and government run services and processes for bringing about reconciliation with victims of abuse in institutions. The focus will be on providing victims with the most effective path to healing. We are committed to continuing to provide such services as long as they are needed.

'We recognise the value of formal reconciliation experiences in healing the hurt some have suffered, and undertake to plan these in consultation with former residents.

'We are committed to doing all we reasonably can to ensure that children in our care are not subject to abuse and neglect. Further, we are committed to ongoing review and improvement of our services to children and families'.

Signed by

Peter Beattie, Queensland Premier;

Anna Bligh, Minister for Families, Youth and Community Care;

John Bathersby, Catholic Archbishop;

Peter Hollingworth, Anglican Archbishop;

David Pitman, Uniting Church;

Hillmon Buckingham, Salvation Army;

Bill Gynther, Baptist Union;

Peter Overton, Churches of Christ.

In March 1994 a serious incident resulting in major damage occurred at the institution, an investigation report was tabled in State Parliament on 12 April 1994, and the Centre closed on 30 June that year.