Te Puna Wai Youth Justice Centre manager Russell Caldwell was director of youth detention for Australia’s Northern Territory from October 2013 to April 2015.
The treatment of children in detention in the Northern Territory is the subject of a royal commission of inquiry after revelations of abuse at Don Dale Juvenile Detention Centre in Darwin last year.
ABC’s Four Corners programme last year revealed footage of six boys at the facility being teargassed, some while still locked in their cells, in August 2014.
Mr Caldwell became manager of Te Puna Wai following his time in the Northern Territory and has been in charge of the South Island’s only youth justice centre for almost two years.
A mother whose then 16-year-old son spent time in Te Puna Wai last year said she was shocked to learn the man charged with caring for her son and other vulnerable children had managed the Australian facility at the centre of the investigation.
"I’m concerned that Child, Youth and Family would have that person there given the inquiry overseas," the former Dunedin woman said.
Her son ran foul of the law after abusing synthetic psychoactive substances and since his release had turned his life around, she said.
The woman, who wished to be identified as Lorraine, said she would write to the Children’s Commissioner and her local MP expressing her outrage at the appointment of Mr Caldwell.
"How can such a controversial person who was connected with such a controversial institution now be appointed to a responsible role of management in our country with our vulnerable kids," she said.
Child, Youth and Family general manager youth justice support Chris Polaschek said Mr Caldwell had improved Te Puna Wai since coming on board as manager and CYF would consider the royal commission’s outcomes when the inquiry was complete.
"The Australian inquiry is looking at serious allegations of ill treatment of youth offenders in Northern Territory detention centres," Mr Polaschek said.
"That inquiry needs to run its course and we will consider the outcomes of the inquiry carefully.
"Our system differs considerably from Australia’s in that we provide robust grievance procedure for young people overseen by external grievance panels. Also compliance with our regulations is externally monitored by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner.
"Russell inherited a number of challenges and is turning Te Puna Wai around.
"We continue to have full confidence in his work. Since his appointment, he has successfully led a programme of improvements and the 2016 state of care report by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner outlined the progress Russell has been making."
Fairfax reported Mr Caldwell gave evidence to the royal commission on Wednesday.
He told the commission he could not recall any breaches of law or policies in the use of force against detainees or isolation, and was not aware of findings from the Northern Territory Children’s Commissioner detailing excessive incidents of both.
