Been to Banksia.

16/12/2025

Update on Banksia Hill and Unit 18 Class Actions

As you may know, on Friday 21 November 2025 the State of Western Australia filed its Defences to our Statements of Claim for both the Banksia Hill and Unit 18 Class Actions.

The State’s Defences are complex legal documents and are more than 700 pages long.

The legal team of lawyers and barristers working on the Class Actions have been reading and considering the State’s Defences as they draft a reply, which is to be filed in Court by the end of February 2026.

Documents to be provided by the State
We have requested that the State provide us with relevant documents which will be used to prepare evidence in support of our claims.

The first bundle of documents will be provided by the State on 22 December 2025, with the second bundle on 6 February 2026.

Each bundle will contain thousands of documents for the legal team to read and consider and will require a significant amount of time and attention.

We will provide you with a further update in early March 2026. We appreciate your patience and thank you for your cooperation.

Child Sexual Abuse Claims
We again remind you that it is important that you speak to a lawyer before you accept an offer of redress under the National Redress Scheme (NRS) so that you can make an informed choice about the best option for you.

If you have any questions or would like legal advice about sexual abuse you suffered in detention, you can send us an email, a text, or call us on 0407 506 460.

25/11/2025

Update on Banksia Hill and Unit 18 Class Actions
Last Friday 21 November 2025, the State of Western Australia filed its Defence to our Statement of Claim in both the Banksia Hill and Unit 18 Class Actions.

The Defences are long and complex legal documents, so we need some time to review them and speak to our Counsel team before we can provide you with more information. We will send another update to you on or before 12 December 2025.

Thank you for your patience and rest assured there is a lot of work being done to achieve the best possible outcome for all group members.

Child Sexual Abuse Claims
It is important that you speak to a lawyer before you accept an offer of redress under the National Redress Scheme (NRS) so that you make an informed choice about what is the best option for you.

If you would like legal advice about sexual abuse you suffered in detention, you can send us an email, a text, or call us on 0407 506 460.

Call now to connect with business.

25/09/2025

Update on the Banksia Hill and Unit 18 Class Actions

Filing of the State’s Defences
Last Wednesday 17 September 2025, the State of Western Australia requested a two-month extension to file its defence in both the Banksia Hill and Unit 18 Class Actions. They are now due to be filed in court on the 21 November 2025.

Discovery
Usually, the State’s defence is filed before the parties agree to exchange documents and other records which become ‘evidence’ in the Class Actions used to either support or deny the other party’s claims. This process of exchanging documents and other records is called ‘discovery’.

However, to minimise any further delays to the Class Actions, we have asked the State to reach an agreement with us about discovery at the same time as they finalise their defence.

National Redress Scheme
Do not accept an NRS offer unless and until you have obtained advice from either Levitt Robinson Solicitors or another lawyer.

If you accept an offer from the NRS for abuse you experienced as a child in a government-run institution, it is likely that you will not be able to participate in the Class Actions or to bring another civil claim against the State, even if the NRS offer is for abuse suffered in a different Government run institution.

If you have any questions, please call us on 0406 506 460 or 02 9286 3133.

08/08/2025

Regarding the Banksia Hill Detention Centre and Unit 18 Class Actions.

If you were sexually abused by an officer or detainee in youth detention, please contact us so that we can assess your claim and help you get the best outcome.

Please do not accept a National Redress Scheme (NRS) offer without first speaking to Levitt Robinson or another qualified lawyer.

Feel free to email [email protected] or message/call 0407 506 460 if you have any questions.

07/08/2025

Update on the Banksia Hill Detention Centre and Unit 18 Class Actions

The Federal Court has ordered the State of WA to file its defence in both the Banksia Hill and Unit 18 Class Actions by 18 September 2025.

The State can either: admit the allegations, deny or dispute them.
While we wait for the State of WA to file their defence, we are doing work behind the scenes.

We know that the class actions have been going for a long time, however this is expected for complicated class actions like the Banksia Hill and Unit 18 class actions.

We believe that the outcome is worth the wait, and we thank you for your patience.

Feel free to email [email protected] or message/call 0407 506 460 if you have any questions.

19/03/2025

Update on the Banksia Hill Detention Centre and Unit 18 Class Actions

On 20 February 2025, Justice Abraham of the Federal Court was to hear from us about the way our legal claims are expressed in both the Banksia Hill Class Action and Unit 18 Class Action (‘the Class Actions’).

Our legal agreed to meet with the State’s legal team, to try to resolve the outstanding legal issues, as we think it will bring about a quicker and better outcome for all group members. Progress was made, and we are hopeful that there will not be many issues for the Judge to determine.

If all goes to plan, the State will be required to file its written defence within a couple of months.

Though there is no ‘next in court’ date we can provide you with today, we will update you as soon as the Judge identifies what will happen next, and when.

Please note, there are still many legal steps to work through before we go to trial in the Federal Court, including:

1. getting the State to give us documents related to the class actions – a process known as “discovery” – and reading the documents.
2. issuing subpoenas to other West Australian Government departments, and non-government organisations, to make them provide us with additional documents or information.
3. preparing evidence against the State, based upon information provided by you, and from experts.

Thank you for your patience, and please feel free to email [email protected] if you have any questions or call 02 9286 3133.

Kind regards,

Class PR

29/01/2025

Update on the Banksia Hill Detention Centre and Unit 18 Class Actions:

On 20 February 2025, there will be a hearing for both the Banksia Hill and Unit 18 Class Actions in the Federal Court in Sydney.

At the hearing, Justice Abraham will determine which of the groups’ claims will be answered by the State of Western Australia in the legal document called a ‘defence’.

Please note, while the hearing is an essential stage in the class action process, it will not produce a ‘winner’ or ‘loser’ and we will be in touch after the hearing to let you know the outcome, and what happens next.

How to reach us:
Please feel free to pass on our details to anyone else you know who was detained in Rangeview, Banksia Hill and/or Unit 18 between 18 August 2005 and early 2024.

Parents, relatives, and/or partners of current or former detainees can register on behalf of those who cannot register themselves (for example, if they are currently in juvenile detention or prison).

If you have any questions or would like to tell others to join the action, please contact us on 0407 506 460.

Please make sure that we have your contact details on file – In the meantime, the best way to stay up to date with the class action is to like 👍 and follow 👉 our group on Facebook.

Kind regards,
Class PR

10/09/2024

Update on the Banksia Hill Detention Centre and Unit 18 Class Actions.

The Banksia Hill and Unit 18 class actions are large and complex because of the number of people involved (potentially thousands) and the length of time they cover (21 years).

This means they take time to progress through the Federal Court.
Please be patient and know that the legal team is working hard to get the best result for all current and former detainees of juvenile detention in Western Australia.

Update on the Banksia Hill Class Action.
1. We added additional claims to the ‘Statement of Claim,’ which is the legal document setting out the groups’ claims.
2. The State did not agree to the way the additional claims were made, so we responded in writing, and a judge will decide what form the Statement of Claim takes at the next hearing in November 2024.
3. Note – this does not mean we ‘win’ or ‘lose’ the Banksia Hill class action at the next hearing in November 2024. It just means we will know what the claims will cover, and the form they will take, for the next stage of the class action.

Update on the Unit 18 Class Action

1. We have also filed a Statement of Claim for the Unit 18 Class Action.
2. Because the claims made in the Banksia Hill and Unit 18 Class Actions are similar, the State also did not agree to the way the claims were made in the Unit 18 Class Action.
3. The form the Unit 18 Statement of Claim takes will also be decided at hearing in November 2024.
4. Note – this does not mean we ‘win’ or ‘lose’ the Unit 18 class action in November 2024. It just means that we will know what the claims will cover, and the form they will take, for the next stage of the class action.
How to reach us

Please feel free to pass on our details to anyone else you know who was detained in Rangeview, Banksia Hill and/or Unit 18 between 18 August 2005 and early 2024.
If you have any questions or would like to tell others to join the action, please feel free to contact us on 0407 506 460.

Please make sure that we have your contact details on file – and LIKE our page.

Kind regards,
Class PR

28/06/2024

‘All good things come to those who wait’

"Tasmanians who were abused as children in the notorious Ashley Youth Detention Centre have reached an in-principle agreement to settle their class action with the state government for $75 million."

A remarkable outcome. See the article below.

Tasmanians who were abused as children in the notorious Ashley youth detention centre reach an in-principle agreement to settle their class action with the state government.

07/06/2024

Update on the Banksia Hill and Unit 18 Class Actions:

The class actions are progressing, though they are taking some time, which was expected. This is due to the size and scope of the class actions, and because we want to get the best possible outcome for all our clients.

Banksia Hill: We filed an official document called a "Statement of Claim" which sets out your complaints. We are now proposing to add more claims to the document to expand the case against the State of Western Australia. The State doesn’t agree to the changes so we will have to ask the Court to give its consent. That hearing will happen some time after 5 July 2024.

Unit 18: We are also trying to expand the claim in the Unit 18 matter. We will have discussions with the State about the exact wording to be used. It is likely that the State will have to file its defence to our claims by early August 2024.

We have assembled a team of Australia’s greatest and most experienced lawyers and barristers, including an ex-Federal Court Judge. The team has been working tirelessly to present the strongest cases in the Federal Court of Australia and to get the best possible outcomes for you.

If you know of anyone else who would like to join the class actions, please ask them to contact us on:

0407 506 460 or register their details on the Banksia Hill site

BANKSIA HILL CLASS ACTION “The system is broken”- Ex-President of Children’s Court, Denis Reynolds Like and Follow the Banksia Hill Facebook Community page for regular updates on the action. Join our Facebook Group Learn more REGISTER Our features in the media MOR...

31/05/2024

Almost 10 years following the death of the late Ms Julieka Dhu, a 22 year old Aboriginal woman, the WA Police have made a formal apology:

"On behalf of the Western Australia Police Force and WA Country Health Service, we apologise to the family and community of the late Ms Julieka Ivanna DHU, a young Aboriginal woman, for the circumstances leading to her death on 4 August 2014.

We are truly sorry for the circumstances of Ms Dhu’s death and recognise the significant impact her passing has had on her family and her community.

This apology is made following a mediation process that concluded in March 2024. Other than this apology, details of the conclusion of the mediation process remain confidential."

Levitt Robinson's WA Fines Enforcement Class Action has been filed in the name of Ms Dhu. It is important to recognise that whilst this apology is significant, change is needed.

If you're a First Nation's person who was jailed for unpaid fines between: January 2014 until September 2020, register for the class action.

Contact us on 0407 506 460 or use this link to register online: https://www.classpr.com.au/western-australia-on-trial-over-death-in-custody/

WA Police Apology articles:
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/wa-police-force-have-officially-apologised-for-the-death-of-julieka-ivanna-dhu/vhwafoivc
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-31/wa-police-wachs-apologise-to-ms-dhu-family-after-death-/103918800
https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/wa-police-issue-ms-dhu-s-family-apology-after-unpaid-fines-row-settlement-20240531-p5jia3.html
https://nit.com.au/31-05-2024/11737/wa-police-and-wa-country-health-service-apologise-to-family-and-community-of-ms-dhu
https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/8647927/apology-issued-over-aboriginal-womans-death-in-custody/

West Australian police and the state's country health service have issued a formal apology over the death of...

29/05/2024

WA FINES ENFORCEMENT CLASS ACTION.

If you are a First Nation's person who was jailed for unpaid fines between: January 2014 until September 2020, register for the class action by contacting us on 0407 506 460 or by Facebook messenger.

You may eligible for compensation but, "you need to be in it, to win it!"

Dana Levitt.