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AAP
AAP
National
Ethan James

Detention centre staff suspended over abuse claims

An inquiry has found the Ashley Youth Detention Centre posed an ongoing abuse risk. (Ethan James/AAP PHOTOS)

More than a dozen staff at Tasmania's youth detention centre have been suspended in the past four years over allegations of historical child sexual abuse.

An inquiry, which released its final report in September, found the Ashley Youth Detention Centre posed an ongoing abuse risk and recommended its urgent closure.

The state government in 2021 pledged to shut the centre by the end of 2024 but has pushed the date back as part of broader justice reforms.

Information tabled in parliament has revealed 17 workers were suspended between November 2020 and June pending investigations into alleged historical abuse at the centre. 

As of June, six were found to not have breached the state service code of conduct. 

However, five of those six have been subjected to new code of conduct employment investigations and are again suspended.

Two of the 17 workers resigned before employment investigations were completed.

The details were provided by Premier Jeremy Rockliff after a request from upper house independent Meg Webb.

Mr Rockliff said all state servants accused of child sexual abuse had been suspended and notifications made to appropriate authorities including police. 

Ms Webb said the information raised further questions.

"It also begs the question as to why these details are not clearly disclosed in the government's routine disclosures," she said. 

"By these numbers, it appears there is still another nine (centre) staff whose (employment) investigations are ongoing. 

"(This) raises questions regarding the timeliness of these processes."

Government MP Felix Ellis said all allegations were taken seriously.

"These are very troubling allegations and obviously we'll be working through the usual process," he told reporters on Wednesday. 

The government in June agreed to pay $75 million to 129 former detainees who launched court action alleging abuse at the centre dating back to the 1960s. 

Calls for the centre to be shut immediately have come from across the political spectrum and human rights, legal and community groups.

Tasmania's government routinely discloses information about abuse allegations levelled at public servants but doesn't outline where they work. 

As of July, 90 public servants had been stood down since October 2020 as a result of child sexual abuse allegations, with forty-five employment investigations remaining ongoing. 

Of the completed 45 investigations, 10 workers had been sanctioned after being found to have breached their employment code of conduct. 

In September, police said nine people had been charged as a result of the inquiry, which examined child sexual abuse in government institutions. 

Of 22 employees identified by heads of departments as alleged perpetrators, two had been convicted, the government disclosed in July.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

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