❓ Question regarding benefits of new Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison. Answer focuses on increasing prison beds, recidivism rates, and providing local rehabilitation programs, while criticising the previous government's lack of investment.
AnsweredQoN 433Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EASTERN GOLDFIELDS REGIONAL PRISON
Last Friday, the minister travelled to Kalgoorlie to announce a new eastern goldfields regional prison at Boulder. Can he tell the house the benefits of this new facility locally and statewide? Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Albany! Mr C.C. PORTER
Last Friday, the minister travelled to Kalgoorlie to announce a new eastern goldfields regional prison at Boulder. Can he tell the house the benefits of this new facility locally and statewide? Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Albany! Mr C.C. PORTER
AnswerView source ↗
It is interesting to hear members opposite say, “There is nothing for this; there is nothing for that.” This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system — Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Albany! Mr C.C. PORTER replied: It is interesting to hear members opposite say, “There is nothing for this; there is nothing for that.” This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system — Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Albany! Mr C.C. PORTER replied: It is interesting to hear members opposite say, “There is nothing for this; there is nothing for that.” This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system — Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER replied: It is interesting to hear members opposite say, “There is nothing for this; there is nothing for that.” This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system — Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
It is interesting to hear members opposite say, “There is nothing for this; there is nothing for that.” This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system — Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Albany! Mr C.C. PORTER replied: It is interesting to hear members opposite say, “There is nothing for this; there is nothing for that.” This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system — Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Albany! Mr C.C. PORTER replied: It is interesting to hear members opposite say, “There is nothing for this; there is nothing for that.” This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system — Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER replied: It is interesting to hear members opposite say, “There is nothing for this; there is nothing for that.” This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system — Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
It is interesting to hear members opposite say, “There is nothing for this; there is nothing for that.” This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system — Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr V.A. Catania : What about Roebourne? Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : Just wait a moment. This is part of a $655 million strategy to increase the number of beds in our system by 1 657. If the member for Albany was so concerned about his local region, he would have read in the budget that the Pardelup facility is also being radically increased under this plan. Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr P.B. Watson : Not radically. Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : Doesn’t the member think so? Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr P.B. Watson : No. Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : How would the member define “radical”; doubling—is that radical? Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr P.B. Watson : Yes. Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : Okay; well, that is what is happening because at the moment — Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Several members interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : The member for Albany gives me a hard time. When I first came to this place, I enjoyed his contribution to last year’s budget debate, and I will be listening again this year. I sat next to the person next to me and being green and youthful I asked, “What is he doing?” That member informed me the member for Albany was simply naming everyone in Albany so he could highlight it and post it out to the entire electorate. Therefore, that is the level of contribution that he will make in this debate. However, back to this point — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
The SPEAKER : Order! Thank you, members. Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : What we have is a two-phase building program. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Mandurah! Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : This western suburbs boy will do more for this state in terms of building prison capacity than all the conspicuous carers on the opposite side put together. What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
What we have is a $12 million phase one urgent and immediate building strategy, followed by a $643 million second phase of capital infrastructure building. What that translates to in the second phase—and I thank the member for Kalgoorlie for his question—is a 350-bed all-security prison in the goldfields region. What that will do, I think, immediately for the goldfields region is two very important things. I have some figures that we researched before we made the determination to build that facility in the goldfields and I think that they are quite staggering. The prison population of Western Australia—that is, the general prison population—increased by 24.8 per cent over the eight-year term of the previous government, which is a massive increase. Also during that period there was a 58.6 per cent increase in the prison population of the goldfields region—a near 60 per cent increase. Because of that increase, 180 of those prisoners have to be incarcerated in Perth, which means that for all the well-meaning talk on the other side, delivering programs for employment and rehabilitation to a goldfields prisoner who is incarcerated in Perth is next to impossible. What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
What this will mean for the goldfields region is that we can actually try to decrease the rates of recidivism in that region. The goldfields region has rates of recidivism above 60 per cent. An Indigenous person from the goldfields region who has been incarcerated has a 60 per cent chance of returning to prison within a two-year period. That is massively in excess of the state average. The reason is that the previous Labor government failed to fund the infrastructure that delivers programs to prisoners. Now, prisoners will remain geographically close to their families and the communities that they will return to after leaving prison, and where we will provide employment programs for them. We will have purpose-built infrastructure designed to engage Indigenous prisoners in programs and courses, and the work programs that we will deliver, in the prison in the member’s region, will be integrated from work to release. We will train prisoners for jobs in the local community that they will be directly released into, as happens in the Roebourne prison, which is a very good facility. Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr J.J.M. Bowler interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
Mr C.C. PORTER : It is one of the best-functioning facilities in the state. In the Roebourne region, 30 to 50 Indigenous prisoners obtain employment after leaving prison each year. That is a prison of much more limited capacity than the goldfields prison because of the demand out there. It is a very good prison. We are replicating that model in the goldfields region. I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
I would add, for the benefit of the member and his community, that we are planning to spend $232 million on the prison. When the original figures for the construction phase of the West Kimberley Regional Prison were done, it was estimated by the management consultants involved in that process that it would provide a 2.8 multiplier effect for the local region. The figure of $232 million can be multiplied by 2.8 to get the economic benefit that will occur in the member’s region, not to mention the recession-proof jobs that will be created at the new facility. But our hope is that ultimately the transport of prisoners, with all the problems associated with that, will decrease. We hope that recidivism rates decrease, along with all the problems created by offending in the member’s local community. I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
I conclude my answer by saying that in one of the briefings I received—something I read recently—Kalgoorlie prison, as it presently exists, was described as “not fit for purpose”. I think that was written by someone who has not visited that prison, because at the moment it is an incredibly poor physical facility. The conditions maintained there do no justice and do no pride to this state. I will be very happy to see that prison decommissioned and I will be very pleased to see the member’s community benefit from an infrastructure project that should have happened long ago.
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