Palaszczuk moves local youth detention guards into south-east COVID cluster
Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson says he’s disgusted at news the State Labor Government will be transferring 15 Cleveland Youth Detention Centre guards to a Brisbane centre where there has been a cluster of COVID-19.
Mr Thompson said not only was it a risk for the health of the affected workers and the local community, it would leave those left behind working at the Townsville centre at increased risk of being hurt.
“The safety of youth justice workers at the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre is one of the biggest issues that is raised with me on a regular basis,” he said.
“I am constantly meeting with and being contacted by workers who’ve been assaulted on the job, only to pick themselves up and be hurt again because the State Labor Government won’t clean up its mess.
“Not only does State Labor want to transfer workers to Brisbane where they could catch COVID-19, it won’t backfill the positions – and fewer hands on deck increases the risks that things could get out of control.
“The Townsville community has been free of new cases of COVID-19 for months and the first thing State Labor wants to do when a cluster breaks out in one of its own facilities is cross-pollinate people between where we are – safe in the North – and the south-east corner where all the outbreaks have been.
“It’s yet another kick in the guts for the people of Townsville and places our health at risk.”
Mr Thompson said he was still advocating for the implementation of regional management zones to prevent the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state.
“What might work for the South-East doesn’t necessarily work for the North but once again the State Labor Government has applied blanket restrictions on us all,” he said.
“It hurts our economy and it puts the brakes on the fantastic progress we’ve been making over the past weeks and months.
“It’s time for the three local State Labor MPs to do their job and stand up to their Premier on behalf of the people of Townsville.”