❓ Dr. Honey questions the Minister for Corrective Services' awareness of dangerous restraint practices at Banksia Hill Detention Centre. The Minister deflects, citing limitations on direct involvement and highlighting past actions of the Liberal and National Parties.
AnsweredQoN 689Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BANKSIA HILL DETENTION CENTRE — FOUR CORNERS REPORT
689. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to the minister's
comments on the Four Corners piece last night, ''Locking Up Kids'',
in which he admitted, ''No, I am not aware of what folding up is''
and ''No, I am not aware of a figure 4 because I'm the minister.''
Why
has the minister chosen to remain ignorant of a practice that is known to be
dangerous and can cause suffocation and death?
689. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to the minister's
comments on the Four Corners piece last night, ''Locking Up Kids'',
in which he admitted, ''No, I am not aware of what folding up is''
and ''No, I am not aware of a figure 4 because I'm the minister.''
Why
has the minister chosen to remain ignorant of a practice that is known to be
dangerous and can cause suffocation and death?
AnswerView source ↗
I just draw the attention of the
Leader of the Liberal Party to either the Young Offenders Act or the Public Sector
Management Act; they do not allow me to be involved directly in the
administration of any agency.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Given that
the procedure that the member is talking about has been used —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry, the
question has been asked and the minister is responding. There will be the
opportunity for a supplementary if I do not get continual interjections from
several members opposite.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Given that
the procedure the member referred to has been used in the corrective services function for many years, including the entire time
that the Liberal and National Parties were in government, I would have
thought that there would have been plenty of opportunities for them to do
something about that. I remind the member that the shadow Minister for
Corrective Services was in the cabinet that moved 70 young offenders to Hakea Prison.
Mr M. McGowan : Seven zero.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Seven zero.
At the moment, there are fewer than 10 people at unit 18. Unit 18 is the only facility in Western Australia that could take
young offenders, other than Banksia Hill. No other location in the state is available to take those young offenders.
That is why we made the decision to move those young offenders. We d id
not move them to Hakea; we moved them to a separate unit that has no contact
with prisoners in the adult estate.
Leader of the Liberal Party to either the Young Offenders Act or the Public Sector
Management Act; they do not allow me to be involved directly in the
administration of any agency.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Given that
the procedure that the member is talking about has been used —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry, the
question has been asked and the minister is responding. There will be the
opportunity for a supplementary if I do not get continual interjections from
several members opposite.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Given that
the procedure the member referred to has been used in the corrective services function for many years, including the entire time
that the Liberal and National Parties were in government, I would have
thought that there would have been plenty of opportunities for them to do
something about that. I remind the member that the shadow Minister for
Corrective Services was in the cabinet that moved 70 young offenders to Hakea Prison.
Mr M. McGowan : Seven zero.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Seven zero.
At the moment, there are fewer than 10 people at unit 18. Unit 18 is the only facility in Western Australia that could take
young offenders, other than Banksia Hill. No other location in the state is available to take those young offenders.
That is why we made the decision to move those young offenders. We d id
not move them to Hakea; we moved them to a separate unit that has no contact
with prisoners in the adult estate.
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