Twenty-two inmates at Banksia Hill Detention Centre caused havoc and hundreds of dollars in damage after a riot on New Year’s Eve.

WA Corrective Services Minister Bill Johnston told 6PR Breakfast the riot was allowed to go on due to the detainee’s age.

“We don’t want to treat youth detainees the same way as we do in prisons, therefore we allow things to go on longer,” said Mr Johnston.

Click PLAY below to hear what Mr Johnston had to say