FORMER BANKSIA INMATES SUE STATE GOVERNMENT

Over 300 former inmates from the Banksia Hill Detention Centre in Perth are suing the State Government, over alleged mistreatment.

The class-action lawsuit from Indigenous and Non-Indigenous inmates claim severe deprivation of liberty and a lack of proper services for inmates.

University Researcher, Gerry Georgatos along with the National Suicide Prevention & Trauma Recovery Project helped launch the lawsuit with Sydney-based law firm Levitt & Robinson Lawyers and says they are traveling through the Kimberley in September to speak with possible plaintiffs.

“We've we're approaching our 400 plaintiffs and we'll move surpass 1,000 before the end of the year and we'll pick up a couple more hundred in the Kimberly over the next 10 days and we're going to the Kimberly because we don't want to leave anyone behind a lot of the people that have gone through Banksia.”

Aboriginal Inmates make up 70% of Banksia Hill detainees, with the likelihood of repeat offending substantially higher.

“First Nations people in account for 70% of the banksia prison population, but from the Kimberly nearly a

hundred percent of all kids that finish up in Banksy hill our First Nations. “ Said Mr Georgatos on Ngaarda Breakfast.

“The class action is everybody it is for it's everybody First Nations people and other Australians, it's everybody, we don't want to leave any brothers and sisters behind whether they in whatever background I come from.

That's just that's where about everybody, but in the Kimberly, it's about building trust letting him understand the fire power of the lawyers and letting him understand what we're actually after, it’s to a problem.

It will be about compensation for the individuals and I hope they get as much as they can get there a better shot at life, and and we'll work our best to do that.”

Mr Georgatos will be in Broome on Monday September 27th 2021