General News
2 June, 2026
Youth justice school to open in CBD
A NEW Youth Justice School aimed at diverting high-risk teenagers from crime is to be housed in former JCU premises in the Cairns CBD.
The specialised school, to be operated by Ohana for Youth as Ohana Academy, is expected to begin accepting referrals and enrolments in the second half of this year, subject to national accreditation approvals.
The school is one of two new Youth Justice Schools being delivered through a $40 million state government investment, with the second site located in Logan Central.
The schools are designed to support young people aged 12 to 17 who are on youth justice orders, including community service orders, police cautions, diversions or bail.
Students will undertake a project-based curriculum delivered by specialist teachers, alongside extracurricular activities and behavioural reform programs. The model will include individual case management, mentoring, family support and parental coaching, with intensive supervision for up to 12 hours a day, five days a week.
Youth Justice and Victim Support Minister Laura Gerber said the initiative aimed to reduce youth offending and improve community safety in Far North Queensland.
“These schools will help keep high-risk teenagers off our streets and out of trouble and put them on the right track by giving them the support and education they need to turn their lives around,” Ms Gerber said.
“We know education disengagement is a key driver of youth crime. If we can get more kids staying in school, we can drive down reoffending and have fewer youth offenders and victims of crime in the Far North.”
Member for Barron River Bree James said the school in Shield St was an important investment for the region. She said the state government was delivering strong laws and programs like the Cairns Youth Justice School to break the cycle of crime and restore safety to Far North Queensland.
Member for Mulgrave Terry James said the school would provide a structured learning environment for young people at risk of offending.
Ohana for Youth founder Aaron Devine said the Cairns academy would help young people reconnect with education.
“This school will provide an environment for young people to re-engage and reconnect with education,” he said.
“By building accountability, resilience, and capability we empower young people to take responsibility for their journey and realise what’s possible in their future.”
But youth crime advocate Perri Conti said “the sad reality is that governments wash their hands of failed youth crime programs, then move on to the next announcement without ever being held accountable for the results”.
“If a program fails, taxpayers deserve to know why it failed, how many youths actually participated, how many reoffended and who is being held responsible,” she said.
“Instead, we get another new building, another trial, another media release and the cycle continues.
“They are not interested in stopping youth crime. Despite billions of dollars being spent with little-to-no results, governments continue relying on the same nonprofits and repeating the same failed ideas.
“Now they are spending $20 million on another school that many of these kids simply will not attend. The youth who broke into my house was supposedly court-appointed to attend Silver Lining School, yet the Department of Youth Justice told me a magistrate cannot legally order a child to attend a specific school.
“So, how is the government planning to force these kids into this new school? They would need to change the laws first.
“The reality is that you cannot keep announcing programs, buildings and taxpayer-funded experiments without accountability, attendance and real consequences.
“Common sense says if you put the time, effort and resources into turning around the core repeat offenders, the rest will follow.
“These are the kids committing offence after offence, intimidating communities and costing taxpayers millions.”
The youth justice school is expected to open later this year.
