The latest data, obtained by the Redfern Legal Centre through freedom of information laws, reveals 51 children aged between 10 and 17 were strip-searched in the last financial year. The practice can involve forcing minors to remove their clothing in public places, and, in some instances, teenagers instructed to squat and cough when police believe they are concealing drugs.
Redfern Legal Centre senior solicitor Samantha Lee said she met several Labor MPs in opposition, and had presented them with potential legislative changes to tighten definitions around strip-searches.
“Before they got into government we had a lot of traction around the strip-searching of children. There was a lot of enthusiasm from key figures in Labor, and we were really hopeful something would change. And now there is dead silence,” she said.
Source: 12ft