Westbrook a stain on child welfare

'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?