❓ Question regarding the Inspector of Custodial Services' report on Albany Regional Prison. The Minister responds positively, highlighting the prison's strong performance and community links, while also addressing overcrowding issues and federal responsibility for housing Commonwealth prisoners.
AnsweredQoN 384Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ALBANY REGIONAL
PRISON — INSPECTOR OF CUSTODIAL SERVICES REPORT
384. Mr J.M. FRANCIS to the Minister for Corrective
Services:
Thank you, Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I formally call you to order for the second
time today. Sometimes you might want to look in another direction, member for
Mandurah. Member for West Swan, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. Member for Pilbara, I formally call you to order for the second time
today.
Mr
T.G. Stephens : Thank you.
The
SPEAKER : I do not need to be thanked, member for Pilbara. I do not need to
be thanked in this place at all.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Yesterday, the Inspector of Custodial Services released a
report on the operations of Albany Regional Prison. Can the minister please
outline to the house the inspector's findings and what measures are
being taken to respond to the inspector's report?
PRISON — INSPECTOR OF CUSTODIAL SERVICES REPORT
384. Mr J.M. FRANCIS to the Minister for Corrective
Services:
Thank you, Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I formally call you to order for the second
time today. Sometimes you might want to look in another direction, member for
Mandurah. Member for West Swan, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. Member for Pilbara, I formally call you to order for the second time
today.
Mr
T.G. Stephens : Thank you.
The
SPEAKER : I do not need to be thanked, member for Pilbara. I do not need to
be thanked in this place at all.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Yesterday, the Inspector of Custodial Services released a
report on the operations of Albany Regional Prison. Can the minister please
outline to the house the inspector's findings and what measures are
being taken to respond to the inspector's report?
AnswerView source ↗
To the people of Western Australia
and the people in the chamber here, let it be known that the Office of the
Inspector of Custodial Services' latest report into Albany prison states
that it is the state's best performing prison. The inspector noted that
Albany prison has an excellent track record in terms of security and safety. It
provides a positive environment. The inspector also noted that the prisoners
are settled and have positive and appropriate social relationships with staff.
When I was in Albany last week, I
saw firsthand the wonderful work that is being done down there. I visited the
workshop, where they work on metals. It is very encouraging to see people
participating in trying to improve their lot. There is a fine woods school. For
those members here who are particularly interested, they turn rough-cut timber
into fantastic furniture that would be the pride of anyone's place. The
work they are doing is fantastic. They are also doing great work in the
community such as fixing the plaques on the local war memorial. I am sure
members of this place would appreciate that. I am sure the people of Albany
appreciate it, even though the member for Albany does not appreciate it. A
particular point that was made by the Inspector of Custodial Services was that
Albany prison has strong community links. That is evidenced by some of the very
good projects that I just mentioned.
The opening of the new 128-bed centre in February of this
year has provided an opportunity for much-needed refurbishment of some of the
older units and the yard at the prison —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, perhaps you might get to your feet and ask some of these
questions. It might be a preferable way to operate in this place. I formally
call you to order for the second time today.
Mr M.J. COWPER :
The 128-bed centre was opened in February this year. I also spoke to the staff
at that location. They said that they were very pleased with the functionality
of that centre. This is the first time since the closure of the Fremantle
Prison that we have been able to get ahead of the prison numbers so that we can
do some refurbishment in that space. We have a total capacity of 5 136
prisoners, and as of today we have 4 936. That gives us an opportunity to have
200 additional beds across the space.
It is interesting to hear the member for Albany talk about
overcrowding in our prisons. On this morning's news, I heard the shadow
minister, the member for Cockburn, have a shot at his counterparts, and I would
not mind putting on record that the member said that it is not really a matter
of providing a solution at the state level. It is commonwealth prisoners who
have been filling up our prisons. In fact, we have 108 Indonesian prisoners, 31
of whom are in Albany. The commonwealth has to provide a solution to that and
help the state with housing those prisoners. We have had up to 185 Indonesian
prisoners in our care. For those who do not know, these Indonesian prisoners
are mostly people smugglers who are prosecuted under federal legislation.
Because the federal government does not operate prisons, they are required to
be housed by the people of the states. I will give members a guess about who
carries the biggest burden in this matter. We had 185 prisoners in our system.
If we work that out, at about $300 a day, it comes across as a large impost on
this state.
The former Attorney General the member for Bateman went in to
bat for Western Australia and said that it is about time the rest of the
country started sharing some of that burden. If members opposite are so
concerned about the allegation of overcrowding, they could get out there and
perhaps write to the minister. I want to ask a question of the member for
Cockburn: has he actually written to his federal counterpart and complained
about this? I will bet he has not. As he always does, he comes in here bleating
away and carrying on like a pork chop, but he does not actually go and look at
the facts. The facts are that unless this state —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr
M.J. COWPER : Let us just look at the facts.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the
first and second times today. Member for Mandurah, you are definitely lifting
the standards. I formally call you to order for the second time today.
Minister, you are going to invite interjection if you refer to members by the
name of their seat. I suggest that you rapidly reach a conclusion to the answer
to this question.
Mr M.J. COWPER :
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
I think it needs to be pointed out to the house that under
the previous government's regime only 300 additional beds were added to
the capacity in eight years. Since the Liberal–National government came
to power, 2 500 new beds have been added to the capacity. The people of Western
Australia said to this government that they want their streets to be safe and
they want the criminals off the streets. The police have been doing their job
and the courts have been doing their job. That meant that we needed to build
additional capacity—something that the previous government had no concept
of.
and the people in the chamber here, let it be known that the Office of the
Inspector of Custodial Services' latest report into Albany prison states
that it is the state's best performing prison. The inspector noted that
Albany prison has an excellent track record in terms of security and safety. It
provides a positive environment. The inspector also noted that the prisoners
are settled and have positive and appropriate social relationships with staff.
When I was in Albany last week, I
saw firsthand the wonderful work that is being done down there. I visited the
workshop, where they work on metals. It is very encouraging to see people
participating in trying to improve their lot. There is a fine woods school. For
those members here who are particularly interested, they turn rough-cut timber
into fantastic furniture that would be the pride of anyone's place. The
work they are doing is fantastic. They are also doing great work in the
community such as fixing the plaques on the local war memorial. I am sure
members of this place would appreciate that. I am sure the people of Albany
appreciate it, even though the member for Albany does not appreciate it. A
particular point that was made by the Inspector of Custodial Services was that
Albany prison has strong community links. That is evidenced by some of the very
good projects that I just mentioned.
The opening of the new 128-bed centre in February of this
year has provided an opportunity for much-needed refurbishment of some of the
older units and the yard at the prison —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, perhaps you might get to your feet and ask some of these
questions. It might be a preferable way to operate in this place. I formally
call you to order for the second time today.
Mr M.J. COWPER :
The 128-bed centre was opened in February this year. I also spoke to the staff
at that location. They said that they were very pleased with the functionality
of that centre. This is the first time since the closure of the Fremantle
Prison that we have been able to get ahead of the prison numbers so that we can
do some refurbishment in that space. We have a total capacity of 5 136
prisoners, and as of today we have 4 936. That gives us an opportunity to have
200 additional beds across the space.
It is interesting to hear the member for Albany talk about
overcrowding in our prisons. On this morning's news, I heard the shadow
minister, the member for Cockburn, have a shot at his counterparts, and I would
not mind putting on record that the member said that it is not really a matter
of providing a solution at the state level. It is commonwealth prisoners who
have been filling up our prisons. In fact, we have 108 Indonesian prisoners, 31
of whom are in Albany. The commonwealth has to provide a solution to that and
help the state with housing those prisoners. We have had up to 185 Indonesian
prisoners in our care. For those who do not know, these Indonesian prisoners
are mostly people smugglers who are prosecuted under federal legislation.
Because the federal government does not operate prisons, they are required to
be housed by the people of the states. I will give members a guess about who
carries the biggest burden in this matter. We had 185 prisoners in our system.
If we work that out, at about $300 a day, it comes across as a large impost on
this state.
The former Attorney General the member for Bateman went in to
bat for Western Australia and said that it is about time the rest of the
country started sharing some of that burden. If members opposite are so
concerned about the allegation of overcrowding, they could get out there and
perhaps write to the minister. I want to ask a question of the member for
Cockburn: has he actually written to his federal counterpart and complained
about this? I will bet he has not. As he always does, he comes in here bleating
away and carrying on like a pork chop, but he does not actually go and look at
the facts. The facts are that unless this state —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr
M.J. COWPER : Let us just look at the facts.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the
first and second times today. Member for Mandurah, you are definitely lifting
the standards. I formally call you to order for the second time today.
Minister, you are going to invite interjection if you refer to members by the
name of their seat. I suggest that you rapidly reach a conclusion to the answer
to this question.
Mr M.J. COWPER :
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
I think it needs to be pointed out to the house that under
the previous government's regime only 300 additional beds were added to
the capacity in eight years. Since the Liberal–National government came
to power, 2 500 new beds have been added to the capacity. The people of Western
Australia said to this government that they want their streets to be safe and
they want the criminals off the streets. The police have been doing their job
and the courts have been doing their job. That meant that we needed to build
additional capacity—something that the previous government had no concept
of.
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