❓ Mr. L'Estrange questions the Minister for Corrective Services about corruption and misconduct concerns within the prison system. The Minister defends the government's actions, highlighting the establishment and activities of the Professional Standards Division (PSD) and accusing the previous government of inaction.
AnsweredQoN 928Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PRISONS —
CORRUPTION AND MISCONDUCT
928. Mr
S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Minister for Corrective Services:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the minister saying that there are no corruption and misconduct concerns by the
McGowan Labor government about our current prison system?
CORRUPTION AND MISCONDUCT
928. Mr
S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Minister for Corrective Services:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the minister saying that there are no corruption and misconduct concerns by the
McGowan Labor government about our current prison system?
AnswerView source ↗
I
point out to the member for Churchlands that the McGowan Labor government and
I, as the Minister for Corrective Services, have put in place things that he
could only dream about in government. Members opposite certainly did not take
the issue of corruption and the smuggling of contraband into prisons seriously.
That was clearly set out in the CCC reports. It is Labor in government, acting
on the CCC reports, that has put the professional standards division in place.
Once again, for the member's benefit, can I report on what the PSD has
done? Between 2018 and 2019, 792 misconduct cases were investigated by the PSD.
Within its division, it has 51 staff and two Western Australia police
detectives. Of those investigations, 121 were referred for assessment and
investigation by the integrity and accountability directorate; 41 were referred to the police team; and 78 were
retained for intelligence purposes. Of the remaining 552 cases that were dealt
with by the misconduct assessment unit, 25 resulted in an improvement action;
35 were referred to third party contract providers such as Broadspectrum and
Acacia; 225 were referred to local management action by prison superintendents
and other executive managers; three were referred to access the internal
prisoner complaints system; two were referred to be dealt with by public
service staff; and 262 resulted in no further action.
May
I also add that the professional standards division has delivered
anti-corruption and integrity sessions to 733 staff in its first year of
operation. Do not come into this house trying to make allegations against the
McGowan government and the Department of Justice that we have not been doing
anything about clamping down on corruption and contraband. We have done more than members opposite could
possibly even dream about when they were in government.
The SPEAKER : Thank you for
that quick answer, minister. Member for Kimberley.
point out to the member for Churchlands that the McGowan Labor government and
I, as the Minister for Corrective Services, have put in place things that he
could only dream about in government. Members opposite certainly did not take
the issue of corruption and the smuggling of contraband into prisons seriously.
That was clearly set out in the CCC reports. It is Labor in government, acting
on the CCC reports, that has put the professional standards division in place.
Once again, for the member's benefit, can I report on what the PSD has
done? Between 2018 and 2019, 792 misconduct cases were investigated by the PSD.
Within its division, it has 51 staff and two Western Australia police
detectives. Of those investigations, 121 were referred for assessment and
investigation by the integrity and accountability directorate; 41 were referred to the police team; and 78 were
retained for intelligence purposes. Of the remaining 552 cases that were dealt
with by the misconduct assessment unit, 25 resulted in an improvement action;
35 were referred to third party contract providers such as Broadspectrum and
Acacia; 225 were referred to local management action by prison superintendents
and other executive managers; three were referred to access the internal
prisoner complaints system; two were referred to be dealt with by public
service staff; and 262 resulted in no further action.
May
I also add that the professional standards division has delivered
anti-corruption and integrity sessions to 733 staff in its first year of
operation. Do not come into this house trying to make allegations against the
McGowan government and the Department of Justice that we have not been doing
anything about clamping down on corruption and contraband. We have done more than members opposite could
possibly even dream about when they were in government.
The SPEAKER : Thank you for
that quick answer, minister. Member for Kimberley.
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