❓ Mr. Kirkup questions the Minister for Corrective Services on corruption in prisons and the government's response to the Corruption and Crime Commissioner's concerns. The Minister defends the government's actions, attributing the issues to the previous administration and highlighting ongoing efforts to address them.
AnsweredQoN 503Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORRECTIVE SERVICES —
CORRUPTION AND CRIME COMMISSION — ''REPORT ON CUSTODIAL OFFICERS
AND THE RISKS OF CONTRABAND ENTERING PRISONS''
503. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to the Minister for Corrective
Services:
I refer to the comments made
yesterday by the Corruption and Crime Commissioner regarding corruption in our
state's prison system and that he does not believe enough action has
been taken by the government on this matter.
(1) Does the
minister agree with this assessment by the Corruption and Crime Commissioner;
and, if so, what action will he take to respond to the commissioner's
concerns?
(2) Would the
minister agree to a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into the culture of
corruption and cover-up in our state's prison system?
CORRUPTION AND CRIME COMMISSION — ''REPORT ON CUSTODIAL OFFICERS
AND THE RISKS OF CONTRABAND ENTERING PRISONS''
503. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to the Minister for Corrective
Services:
I refer to the comments made
yesterday by the Corruption and Crime Commissioner regarding corruption in our
state's prison system and that he does not believe enough action has
been taken by the government on this matter.
(1) Does the
minister agree with this assessment by the Corruption and Crime Commissioner;
and, if so, what action will he take to respond to the commissioner's
concerns?
(2) Would the
minister agree to a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into the culture of
corruption and cover-up in our state's prison system?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thought that we dealt with this matter yesterday when the member put it as a motion
to suspend standing orders, but, unfortunately, we will have to go through the
whole thing again today. As I said to the member yesterday, the reason the
Corruption and Crime Commission is investigating these matters is that we have
brought these things to the attention of the CCC and the police.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : They
predate that as well.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Dawesville!
Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is the
reason it is happening. The member is right that all these problems predated
our government, and they went back a long way. Every prison system in the whole
of Australia and internationally grapples with these issues every single day.
The member knows that and I know that. The work we are doing within the
Department of Justice under the McGowan Labor government is first of all to fix
the problems that members opposite left us. That is what we are doing. Members
opposite got rid of the drug strategy and they did nothing to develop a new
strategy after 2012. There was no direction on the issue of contraband under
the previous government. Members opposite got rid of the drug coordinating
group in 2015, and then there was even less direction by the previous
government to deal with contraband. We are having to deal with those issues
now. Very soon, I will be announcing a new drug strategy for Western Australia
in 2018–2021, and the member can have a look at it.
In terms of dealing with the issue,
I have already outlined to the member that we are addressing every single one
of the five issues identified by the CCC. We are also addressing the systemic
issues in security that were identified by the Auditor General's
examination of our prison system. Change is happening right now, member for
Dawesville, and I urge the member to let the Department of Justice get on and
do its work in securing our prison systems from the scourge of contraband. It
does not need to go to one of the member's committees so that he can
basically grandstand on the whole issue. It is a very serious matter, which has
been left in the hands of professionals. I am very pleased, Minister for
Police, that Commissioner Dawson also indicated that the police are actively
going to assist the Department of Justice in providing one detective sergeant
to work with it on a full-time basis in the department's offices. That
is the sort of cooperation that we need. We also have that cooperation with the
CCC, which is doing a good job. Let these people get on and do their work. Stop
trying to grandstand on these issues; they are too serious.
thought that we dealt with this matter yesterday when the member put it as a motion
to suspend standing orders, but, unfortunately, we will have to go through the
whole thing again today. As I said to the member yesterday, the reason the
Corruption and Crime Commission is investigating these matters is that we have
brought these things to the attention of the CCC and the police.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : They
predate that as well.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Dawesville!
Mr F.M. LOGAN : That is the
reason it is happening. The member is right that all these problems predated
our government, and they went back a long way. Every prison system in the whole
of Australia and internationally grapples with these issues every single day.
The member knows that and I know that. The work we are doing within the
Department of Justice under the McGowan Labor government is first of all to fix
the problems that members opposite left us. That is what we are doing. Members
opposite got rid of the drug strategy and they did nothing to develop a new
strategy after 2012. There was no direction on the issue of contraband under
the previous government. Members opposite got rid of the drug coordinating
group in 2015, and then there was even less direction by the previous
government to deal with contraband. We are having to deal with those issues
now. Very soon, I will be announcing a new drug strategy for Western Australia
in 2018–2021, and the member can have a look at it.
In terms of dealing with the issue,
I have already outlined to the member that we are addressing every single one
of the five issues identified by the CCC. We are also addressing the systemic
issues in security that were identified by the Auditor General's
examination of our prison system. Change is happening right now, member for
Dawesville, and I urge the member to let the Department of Justice get on and
do its work in securing our prison systems from the scourge of contraband. It
does not need to go to one of the member's committees so that he can
basically grandstand on the whole issue. It is a very serious matter, which has
been left in the hands of professionals. I am very pleased, Minister for
Police, that Commissioner Dawson also indicated that the police are actively
going to assist the Department of Justice in providing one detective sergeant
to work with it on a full-time basis in the department's offices. That
is the sort of cooperation that we need. We also have that cooperation with the
CCC, which is doing a good job. Let these people get on and do their work. Stop
trying to grandstand on these issues; they are too serious.
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