The event was organised by some of Jake’s mates and club members as a way to remember their mate who was a keen rider.

I wanted the memorial to be a fundraising event as well, so it was decided that all proceeds from the event would be donated to the Bathurst Hospital going towards the purchase of a new ECG machine in ICU.

I felt it was important to raise awareness of sudden cardiac death and how it can – and does – impact young people and their families.

As Jake’s mother, I would like to thank PMCC, Luke Power, my family and friends, all of the riders who took part in the event and everyone who bought raffle tickets.

I would also like to extend a big thank you to the following businesses that gave their support to the event by supplying prizes and items for the day and also assisting with the selling of raffle tickets: Beard Brothers Motorcycles; BENT Threads; Blowes Clothing; Coates Hire; Bobbie McGees; Bunnings; Crema; Jeff Dray; John O’Shea Barbers; Kings Hotel; Marg and Jack Arrow; Bikeworx Mudgee; Nifty 50; Regency Jewellers; Rosanna’s Kitchen; students and teachers from St Stanislaus’ College, Supercheap Auto; Webb & Co; WesTrac; Wheeler Cycles.

Without the support of all of these people and businesses, local fundraising would not be possible. Thank you to all involved.

CORRECTIONS Minister David Elliot recently asked for a review to examine the use of confinement in youth detention after it was revealed young boys were being kept in isolation for up to 23 hours a day.

This comes soon after Mr Elliot told a parliamentary estimates committee hearing that there was “no practice or provision of isolation of young people in custody”.

Over six months ago I was approached by staff from Legal Aid and Juvenile Justice that confirmed that, according to the NSW Ombudsman, Juvenile Justice recorded 123 “segregations” of detainees lasting more than 24 hours in the past financial year and 87 “separations” for reasons such as gender, age and health.

I hoped to meet with the Minister for Juvenile Justice but quickly found out that no such position existed. After a few days of searching, I was told that the Minister for Corrections, David Elliot, was the Minister for Juvenile Justice. A meeting was sought with the Minister and a date was set.

I travelled three hours to attend the meeting and received a phone call 20 minutes before the meeting, letting me know that the Minister could not meet with me as he was not in the building. Instead, I met with a totally disinterested staffer – the meeting finished in 15 minutes.

At that meeting, I put it to the staffer that, in fact, David Elliot had not been the Minister for Juvenile Justice until a few days ago. The staffer denied that.

I asked to see anything that indicated Juvenile Justice was included – even a letterhead. There was no such letterhead.

For young people, every attempt needs to be made to return them to the community rehabilitated. This involves providing them with the appropriate assistance and treatment to ensure that they do not return to previous negative activities

Solitary confinement and other punitive approaches only increase the risk of reoffending as research, evidence and experience can attest. For this reason, the incarceration of any young person should only ever be used after all other avenues of rehabilitation have been exhausted. 

It’s time to put a stop to these dangerous and ineffective practices.