❓ Mr Zempilas questions the Minister for Corrective Services' refusal to step aside despite a 'functional collapse' in the prison system. The Minister attributes the growth in prison population to increased responses to family and domestic violence offences and outlines budget allocations and reforms to address capacity challenges.
AnsweredQoN 322Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Hakea Prison—Capacity—Judicial comment
322. Mr Basil Zempilas to
the Minister for Corrective Services:
I have a
supplementary question. Why is the minister still refusing to step aside, given
that he is taking no responsibility for a "functional collapse" in
our prison system?
322. Mr Basil Zempilas to
the Minister for Corrective Services:
I have a
supplementary question. Why is the minister still refusing to step aside, given
that he is taking no responsibility for a "functional collapse" in
our prison system?
AnswerView source ↗
A claim with the description
that the member has provided, if it is indeed a specific quote from Eamon Ryan about
his notice of show cause, is his view—his opinion. I have told Eamon before,
and as I have said on many occasions, including yesterday when I met with him
in my office on an unrelated matter, he has a view of conditions. I do not
share that view. I would not use his descriptions. That aside, ultimately, the
prison system confronts an unprecedented growth.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Paul Papalia: There has been 38% growth in the
prison population in two years. It has never been encountered in Western
Australia. I suspect that it has never been encountered anywhere in the country.
It is as a direct consequence of responding to family and domestic violence
offences.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Paul Papalia: From memory, some 63% of the growth
in remand is attributed to family and domestic violence offenders. That is a
response that was called for. That is a response that was supported—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt! Member for
Bateman! Please do not have conversations.
Mr Paul Papalia: That is a response that was supported
by members opposite at the time. It is just a natural consequence that there is
an increase in the prison population. As a result, there is a population
increase in the prisons, and that is a challenge that is being dealt with—$60 million
in this year's budget and hundreds of millions of dollars in the forward
estimates.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, please stop
interjecting.
Mr Paul Papalia: Three years ago, the population had
been diminishing for two years in a row. It would have made no sense for anyone,
although I was not the minister at the time—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Paul Papalia: It would have made no sense for
anyone to increase the prison capacity when the prison population had been
diminishing for two years in a row. There is $60 million in the budget
this year for increasing capacity and hundreds of millions of dollars in the
forward estimates. There will be 400 more prison officers a year for three
years and justice reform.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Kalamunda—
Mr Paul Papalia: It is all budgeted—
The Speaker: Minister! Minister Papalia, please pause
your response. I know you are getting close to finishing it. Members of the
opposition, please stop interjecting. Member for Kalamunda, that is not the
question that was asked. If you want to ask another question, get up when the
time is right. Leader of the Opposition, please stop interjecting and the
minister can conclude his comments.
Mr Paul Papalia: All of that is funded in this year's
budget and action is underway to address that challenge.
Ultimately, all I
can garner from this line of questioning is that the Liberal Party of Western
Australia is upset because we have been tough on crime. I do not get it. It is
a parallel universe.
that the member has provided, if it is indeed a specific quote from Eamon Ryan about
his notice of show cause, is his view—his opinion. I have told Eamon before,
and as I have said on many occasions, including yesterday when I met with him
in my office on an unrelated matter, he has a view of conditions. I do not
share that view. I would not use his descriptions. That aside, ultimately, the
prison system confronts an unprecedented growth.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Paul Papalia: There has been 38% growth in the
prison population in two years. It has never been encountered in Western
Australia. I suspect that it has never been encountered anywhere in the country.
It is as a direct consequence of responding to family and domestic violence
offences.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Paul Papalia: From memory, some 63% of the growth
in remand is attributed to family and domestic violence offenders. That is a
response that was called for. That is a response that was supported—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt! Member for
Bateman! Please do not have conversations.
Mr Paul Papalia: That is a response that was supported
by members opposite at the time. It is just a natural consequence that there is
an increase in the prison population. As a result, there is a population
increase in the prisons, and that is a challenge that is being dealt with—$60 million
in this year's budget and hundreds of millions of dollars in the forward
estimates.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, please stop
interjecting.
Mr Paul Papalia: Three years ago, the population had
been diminishing for two years in a row. It would have made no sense for anyone,
although I was not the minister at the time—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Paul Papalia: It would have made no sense for
anyone to increase the prison capacity when the prison population had been
diminishing for two years in a row. There is $60 million in the budget
this year for increasing capacity and hundreds of millions of dollars in the
forward estimates. There will be 400 more prison officers a year for three
years and justice reform.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Kalamunda—
Mr Paul Papalia: It is all budgeted—
The Speaker: Minister! Minister Papalia, please pause
your response. I know you are getting close to finishing it. Members of the
opposition, please stop interjecting. Member for Kalamunda, that is not the
question that was asked. If you want to ask another question, get up when the
time is right. Leader of the Opposition, please stop interjecting and the
minister can conclude his comments.
Mr Paul Papalia: All of that is funded in this year's
budget and action is underway to address that challenge.
Ultimately, all I
can garner from this line of questioning is that the Liberal Party of Western
Australia is upset because we have been tough on crime. I do not get it. It is
a parallel universe.
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