❓ Question regarding measures to combat corruption in WA prisons. The Minister outlines the Ulysses task force's achievements and criticises the opposition's lack of support for reform.
AnsweredQoN 235Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIVE SERVICES — CORRUPT AND IMPROPER CONDUCT
235. Mr P. ABETZ to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
Before I ask my question, I acknowledge the student leaders
from Excelsior Primary School from my
electorate in the Speaker's gallery, along with their teachers, Mrs Hooker
and Mrs Williams.
Can the minister please outline to the house measures that
this government is taking to stamp out corrupt and improper conduct in the Western Australian prison
system?
235. Mr P. ABETZ to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
Before I ask my question, I acknowledge the student leaders
from Excelsior Primary School from my
electorate in the Speaker's gallery, along with their teachers, Mrs Hooker
and Mrs Williams.
Can the minister please outline to the house measures that
this government is taking to stamp out corrupt and improper conduct in the Western Australian prison
system?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for Southern River for his question. I inform the house that last year the
government approached Western Australia Police's Commissioner of Police
for assistance to restore public confidence on issues involving the Department
of Corrective Services that had been around for decades. The resultant Ulysses
task force was staffed with officers from WA Police and the Department of
Corrective Services and has been in operation for an initial six-month period.
During its time in operation the task force has achieved significant results
for both Western Australia Police and the Department of Corrective Services on
behalf of the people of Western Australia. An increased flow of information
intelligence between the two agencies now exists. It has opened new lines of
inquiries into drug trafficking, money laundering, corruption, and serious and
organised crime. Criminal prosecutions have commenced against members of the
community and departmental officers, and the flow of drugs and other contraband
into the Western Australian prison system has been substantially disrupted.
This government is
getting on with the job of reforming the Department of Corrective Services. By
opening the can of worms that was long overdue to be opened and owning up and
saying that there are issues in the Department of Corrective Services, the
government has had the courage to address those issues. It is disappointing
that the opposition does not have the courage to address these issues. Two
weeks ago the opposition was continuing to tug its forelock to the union
movement by voting against a very important bill that would give the
Commissioner of Corrective Services the ability to address a number of
substantial issues with officers of the Department of Corrective Services. The
government does not shy away from the task ahead of it. We do not shy away from
the fact that the Department of Corrective Services needs to perform.
It is an absolute
shame that the Labor Party does not have the political ticker to get on board
with reform that is much overdue and much needed in the Department of
Corrective Services. I look forward to the opposition changing its position in
the coming weeks so that when the Custodial Legislation (Officers Discipline)
Amendment Bill 2013 gets to the Legislative Council, the opposition will
support it. Members of the Labor Party need to realise that the public of
Western Australia believes that prison officers should be accountable and that
there should be consequences for people who do not meet the high standards of
behaviour that Western Australians expect from prison officers.
for Southern River for his question. I inform the house that last year the
government approached Western Australia Police's Commissioner of Police
for assistance to restore public confidence on issues involving the Department
of Corrective Services that had been around for decades. The resultant Ulysses
task force was staffed with officers from WA Police and the Department of
Corrective Services and has been in operation for an initial six-month period.
During its time in operation the task force has achieved significant results
for both Western Australia Police and the Department of Corrective Services on
behalf of the people of Western Australia. An increased flow of information
intelligence between the two agencies now exists. It has opened new lines of
inquiries into drug trafficking, money laundering, corruption, and serious and
organised crime. Criminal prosecutions have commenced against members of the
community and departmental officers, and the flow of drugs and other contraband
into the Western Australian prison system has been substantially disrupted.
This government is
getting on with the job of reforming the Department of Corrective Services. By
opening the can of worms that was long overdue to be opened and owning up and
saying that there are issues in the Department of Corrective Services, the
government has had the courage to address those issues. It is disappointing
that the opposition does not have the courage to address these issues. Two
weeks ago the opposition was continuing to tug its forelock to the union
movement by voting against a very important bill that would give the
Commissioner of Corrective Services the ability to address a number of
substantial issues with officers of the Department of Corrective Services. The
government does not shy away from the task ahead of it. We do not shy away from
the fact that the Department of Corrective Services needs to perform.
It is an absolute
shame that the Labor Party does not have the political ticker to get on board
with reform that is much overdue and much needed in the Department of
Corrective Services. I look forward to the opposition changing its position in
the coming weeks so that when the Custodial Legislation (Officers Discipline)
Amendment Bill 2013 gets to the Legislative Council, the opposition will
support it. Members of the Labor Party need to realise that the public of
Western Australia believes that prison officers should be accountable and that
there should be consequences for people who do not meet the high standards of
behaviour that Western Australians expect from prison officers.
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