❓ Mrs. Godfrey asks about the new police prison team. Minister Francis responds, outlining concerns about criminal activity in prisons and the need for legislative reform to address corruption, accusing the opposition of hindering progress.
AnsweredQoN 705Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE
SERIOUS AND ORGANISED CRIME DIVISION — PRISON TEAM
705. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
I recently read with interest the creation of a permanent
police prison team within WA Police's serious and organised crime
division. Can the minister outline to the house why the government has taken
this action and the scope of this new unit?
SERIOUS AND ORGANISED CRIME DIVISION — PRISON TEAM
705. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
I recently read with interest the creation of a permanent
police prison team within WA Police's serious and organised crime
division. Can the minister outline to the house why the government has taken
this action and the scope of this new unit?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Belmont for her question. I have made
it clear for some time that I have serious concerns about the levels of
criminal activity within the prison environment, from visitors into the prison
and the conduct of prisoners in prison through to also, unfortunately, a
handful of police officers. In September last year, through the Minister for
Police, I asked for a conversation to take place with the Commissioner of
Police, Dr Karl O'Callaghan. In a number of conversations with the
commissioner, I outlined my concerns about criminal activity within the
Department of Corrective Services and within prisons. After all, people are not
sent to prison to conduct themselves in a way that continues to break the law;
they are sent to prison so that they can break their drug habits and certainly
not to carry on organised crime circles. As a result, task force Ulysses was
formed. It ran for about six months. It involved undercover officers from
Western Australia Police and the Department of Corrective Services.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member
for Midland, you are not answering the question. I call you to order for the
first time.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
As a result, 73 individuals were charged with criminal offences—unfortunately,
three of them were prison officers. A number of prison officers were also
disciplined, with administrative sanctions against them. Those proceedings will
continue. We are serious about trying to clean up the prison system in Western
Australia. The problems in the prison system are not problems that have just
come about in the last 10 to 20 years; they have existed for decades. Everyone
has known about it, but we are absolutely committed to try to tackle this
problem. Key to this is the ability of the Commissioner of Corrective Services
to compel prison officers and youth custodial officers to answer questions
about their conduct and also for him to dismiss officers when he has lost
confidence in their ability to conduct their job in a professional manner and
with complete integrity. The bottom line is that the Custodial Legislation
(Officers Discipline) Amendment Bill 2013 has been stalled. The Legislative
Council has referred it to a committee. Unfortunately, one side of this house
is keen to rid our prison system of corruption while the other side is more
interested in running a protection racket for shonky prison officers. I can
only encourage the opposition to get off its backside and pass that bill. Every
day that it continues to run that dodgy —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Please finish.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
Every day that goes past, we all know that the opposition is more interested in
running a protection racket for dodgy prison officers than standing up for
integrity and the standards expected by the people of Western Australia in the
Department of Corrective Services.
it clear for some time that I have serious concerns about the levels of
criminal activity within the prison environment, from visitors into the prison
and the conduct of prisoners in prison through to also, unfortunately, a
handful of police officers. In September last year, through the Minister for
Police, I asked for a conversation to take place with the Commissioner of
Police, Dr Karl O'Callaghan. In a number of conversations with the
commissioner, I outlined my concerns about criminal activity within the
Department of Corrective Services and within prisons. After all, people are not
sent to prison to conduct themselves in a way that continues to break the law;
they are sent to prison so that they can break their drug habits and certainly
not to carry on organised crime circles. As a result, task force Ulysses was
formed. It ran for about six months. It involved undercover officers from
Western Australia Police and the Department of Corrective Services.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member
for Midland, you are not answering the question. I call you to order for the
first time.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
As a result, 73 individuals were charged with criminal offences—unfortunately,
three of them were prison officers. A number of prison officers were also
disciplined, with administrative sanctions against them. Those proceedings will
continue. We are serious about trying to clean up the prison system in Western
Australia. The problems in the prison system are not problems that have just
come about in the last 10 to 20 years; they have existed for decades. Everyone
has known about it, but we are absolutely committed to try to tackle this
problem. Key to this is the ability of the Commissioner of Corrective Services
to compel prison officers and youth custodial officers to answer questions
about their conduct and also for him to dismiss officers when he has lost
confidence in their ability to conduct their job in a professional manner and
with complete integrity. The bottom line is that the Custodial Legislation
(Officers Discipline) Amendment Bill 2013 has been stalled. The Legislative
Council has referred it to a committee. Unfortunately, one side of this house
is keen to rid our prison system of corruption while the other side is more
interested in running a protection racket for shonky prison officers. I can
only encourage the opposition to get off its backside and pass that bill. Every
day that it continues to run that dodgy —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Please finish.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
Every day that goes past, we all know that the opposition is more interested in
running a protection racket for dodgy prison officers than standing up for
integrity and the standards expected by the people of Western Australia in the
Department of Corrective Services.
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