❓ Mr. Mubarakai questions the Minister for Corrective Services on the progress of Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison in supporting female prisoners with addiction. The Minister responds positively, highlighting the success of the program and sharing inspiring stories of graduates.
AnsweredQoN 125Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WANDOO REHABILITATION
PRISON
125. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Minister for Corrective
Services:
I refer to the state's first
drug and alcohol rehabilitation prison, which is a key part of the McGowan
Labor government's Methamphetamine Action Plan. Can the minister update
the house as to how Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison is supporting female prisoners
who are dealing with addiction as well as the cycle that leads to drug-related
crime, which surged under the previous Liberal–National government?
PRISON
125. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Minister for Corrective
Services:
I refer to the state's first
drug and alcohol rehabilitation prison, which is a key part of the McGowan
Labor government's Methamphetamine Action Plan. Can the minister update
the house as to how Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison is supporting female prisoners
who are dealing with addiction as well as the cycle that leads to drug-related
crime, which surged under the previous Liberal–National government?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Jandakot for
his question. Of course, with three large prison institutions in his
electorate, he certainly knows a lot about this issue.
I am very proud to stand and give
the house an update about Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison—the first of its
kind in the whole of Australia, which has been specifically designed for women—and
the graduation program that I attended the other day for the first cohort of
women leaving the rehabilitation prison to either complete their sentence or
leave prison completely. Ten women, two of whom are Aboriginal women,
celebrated their graduation from the six-month therapeutic community program,
which is run by Cyrenian House. Another four women, three of whom are also Aboriginal,
received stage completion certificates. Three of the women who had already been
released back into the community returned to prison—this is very
unusual—in order to get their graduation certificates. One such woman
is a mother of seven and a grandmother of five. She said she had been in and
out of jail since she was 18. According to my notes, she said —
The program run with Cyrenian House
was hard work and this is the first time I have graduated from anything in my
life. In this prison I have learnt to forgive myself, to be civil, assertive
and mindful. As a repeat offender, I am sick of going to funerals handcuffed at
the grave site. I'm going to get out of here and shine.
I think that basically says an awful
lot about the graduation. One of the graduates, as I said, returned to prison
to get her graduation certificate. She was with her father and she spoke about
the addiction that she had battled for years, alone and trapped and too ashamed
to ask for help. She said, ''I was a lost young girl and now I am a powerful
woman.'' This shows the work that they have been doing out there. These
women are leaving prison stronger and more powerful and they are dealing with
their addictions. Time will tell whether we have started the process of
breaking the cycle of drug crime. However, the McGowan government is committed
to this innovative way of dealing with drug addiction and, of course, the
corollary of drug crime. I look forward to next year's opening of the
male alcohol and drug facility at Casuarina Prison.
his question. Of course, with three large prison institutions in his
electorate, he certainly knows a lot about this issue.
I am very proud to stand and give
the house an update about Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison—the first of its
kind in the whole of Australia, which has been specifically designed for women—and
the graduation program that I attended the other day for the first cohort of
women leaving the rehabilitation prison to either complete their sentence or
leave prison completely. Ten women, two of whom are Aboriginal women,
celebrated their graduation from the six-month therapeutic community program,
which is run by Cyrenian House. Another four women, three of whom are also Aboriginal,
received stage completion certificates. Three of the women who had already been
released back into the community returned to prison—this is very
unusual—in order to get their graduation certificates. One such woman
is a mother of seven and a grandmother of five. She said she had been in and
out of jail since she was 18. According to my notes, she said —
The program run with Cyrenian House
was hard work and this is the first time I have graduated from anything in my
life. In this prison I have learnt to forgive myself, to be civil, assertive
and mindful. As a repeat offender, I am sick of going to funerals handcuffed at
the grave site. I'm going to get out of here and shine.
I think that basically says an awful
lot about the graduation. One of the graduates, as I said, returned to prison
to get her graduation certificate. She was with her father and she spoke about
the addiction that she had battled for years, alone and trapped and too ashamed
to ask for help. She said, ''I was a lost young girl and now I am a powerful
woman.'' This shows the work that they have been doing out there. These
women are leaving prison stronger and more powerful and they are dealing with
their addictions. Time will tell whether we have started the process of
breaking the cycle of drug crime. However, the McGowan government is committed
to this innovative way of dealing with drug addiction and, of course, the
corollary of drug crime. I look forward to next year's opening of the
male alcohol and drug facility at Casuarina Prison.
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