❓ A parliamentary question accuses the Minister for Corrective Services of incompetence regarding corruption and drug issues in prisons. The Premier defends the Minister, highlighting proactive measures taken to address these problems and criticizes the question as inaccurate and politically motivated.
AnsweredQoN 474Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORRECTIVE SERVICES — CORRUPTION AND CRIME
COMMISSION — ''REPORT ON CORRUPT CUSTODIAL OFFICERS AND THE
RISKS OF CONTRABAND ENTERING PRISONS''
474. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Premier:
I refer to the track record of the Minister for Corrective
Services in just over a year in which the Corruption and Crime Commission has
previously found, under this minister's watch, that convicted
paedophiles have had unfettered access to innocent children in places like
Hungry Jack's. Yesterday, the Corruption and Crime Commission found
that drugs are pouring into our prisons under the minister's watch.
This minister has also refused to construct a new prison, preferring to let
dangerous criminals out onto our streets. When is the Premier going to relieve
the incompetent and unaccountable Minister for Corrective Services of his
portfolio and replace him with a minister who will do their job properly?
COMMISSION — ''REPORT ON CORRUPT CUSTODIAL OFFICERS AND THE
RISKS OF CONTRABAND ENTERING PRISONS''
474. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Premier:
I refer to the track record of the Minister for Corrective
Services in just over a year in which the Corruption and Crime Commission has
previously found, under this minister's watch, that convicted
paedophiles have had unfettered access to innocent children in places like
Hungry Jack's. Yesterday, the Corruption and Crime Commission found
that drugs are pouring into our prisons under the minister's watch.
This minister has also refused to construct a new prison, preferring to let
dangerous criminals out onto our streets. When is the Premier going to relieve
the incompetent and unaccountable Minister for Corrective Services of his
portfolio and replace him with a minister who will do their job properly?
AnswerView source ↗
Mr Speaker, that is an appalling question, full of
inaccuracies. It is full of inaccuracies and shocking imputations against a government
minister, without any evidence whatsoever. We will ensure the information in
the CCC reports is referred to police for further inquiry and investigation so
that any former prison officers who have committed offences will be prosecuted.
Members might note that it was under this government that the Department of
Justice commenced two operations to root out prison officers who might be doing
the wrong thing. They were Operation Contra and Operation Horace, which were
carried out late last year and early this year. They were proactive operations
that this government launched in order to determine whether there were any
problems with prison officers in prisons. Over the course of those two
operations, numerous searches of staff were carried out. In fact, according to
the information I have, thousands upon thousands of searches were carried out,
including all sorts of bag searches, canine line-ups, staff line-ups, staff
vehicle searches, staff alcohol and drug tests, breath tests—the list
goes on and on of the sorts of things that this government has undertaken to
find out whether there are any prison officers who have done the wrong thing.
Essentially, the member for Hillarys' question is saying that we have
done the wrong thing by finding out where these sorts of instances have
occurred. The member's government did not do that, so who knows what
was going on? I recall the case in which a dangerous drug dealer and break and
enterer, as I recall, was walking puppies around a park and managed to walk
off. He ended up on the Gold Coast living a life of Riley under the former
government.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member is trying to attack this
minister for putting in place processes to catch these sorts of things.
Seriously?
inaccuracies. It is full of inaccuracies and shocking imputations against a government
minister, without any evidence whatsoever. We will ensure the information in
the CCC reports is referred to police for further inquiry and investigation so
that any former prison officers who have committed offences will be prosecuted.
Members might note that it was under this government that the Department of
Justice commenced two operations to root out prison officers who might be doing
the wrong thing. They were Operation Contra and Operation Horace, which were
carried out late last year and early this year. They were proactive operations
that this government launched in order to determine whether there were any
problems with prison officers in prisons. Over the course of those two
operations, numerous searches of staff were carried out. In fact, according to
the information I have, thousands upon thousands of searches were carried out,
including all sorts of bag searches, canine line-ups, staff line-ups, staff
vehicle searches, staff alcohol and drug tests, breath tests—the list
goes on and on of the sorts of things that this government has undertaken to
find out whether there are any prison officers who have done the wrong thing.
Essentially, the member for Hillarys' question is saying that we have
done the wrong thing by finding out where these sorts of instances have
occurred. The member's government did not do that, so who knows what
was going on? I recall the case in which a dangerous drug dealer and break and
enterer, as I recall, was walking puppies around a park and managed to walk
off. He ended up on the Gold Coast living a life of Riley under the former
government.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member is trying to attack this
minister for putting in place processes to catch these sorts of things.
Seriously?
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