The Queensland government is facing calls to immediately remove children from adult watch houses after revelations they are being held for weeks at a time and without adequate medical care.
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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her ministers were on Tuesday asked during question time to explain how a girl was held in the same area as two alleged male sex offenders in the Brisbane City Watch House.
The ABC's Four Corners program on Monday detailed that incident and other cases of children enduring lengthy periods in adult holding cells because the state's youth detention centres are full.
"That is a serious allegation and that matter is currently under a full investigation," Ms Palaszczuk told state parliament.
"I spoke to the director-general this morning.
"She has advised me that the matters that were raised on the Four Corners program, that the (Child Safety Minister Di Farmer) was not aware of and that I was not aware of, will be fully investigated."
Her office later clarified those remarks, and said the Department of Premier and Cabinet's Acting Director General, Rachel Hunter, has held meetings across government since the allegations were raised by Public Guardian Natalie Siegel-Brown, and briefed the premier.
It says the department was advised by Queensland Police that the young girl was in an adjacent cell to the men, that there was never any ability for personal or physical interaction and that she was moved when alternative areas were cleared.
The premier on Tuesday repeated her suggestion the issue could be solved with youth employment, and Child Safety Minister Di Farmer has been unable to say when the practice will stop.
The Opposition has joined calls from child advocacy and legal groups for an immediate end to the practice.
"Imagine as a kid, you have to put a blanket over your head because you are in 24 hours of light," LNP leader Deb Frecklington said.
"In Queensland we don't even do that to adult prisoners, let alone children."
Ms Frecklington wants the children to be removed from watch houses and instead housed in temporary accommodation.
"Anything would be better than the accommodation that they're in at the moment," she said.
"You can build a mine camp in less than four days, so surely we can get these kids out into temporary accommodation."
Doctors and the Queensland Law Society have called for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised from 10 to 14, a proposal Ms Frecklington does not support.
Last month, the Labor government said it would spend $150 million on a new 32-bed youth detention centre at Wacol, and $27 million on 16 more beds at the existing Brisbane Youth Detention Centre.
Australian Associated Press
