❓ Mr Papalia questions the Minister for Corrective Services' lack of immediate action and inquiry regarding a news story about potential social media use from within a Serco-run prison. The Minister assures he has asked questions but awaits answers.
AnsweredQoN 740Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ACACIA PRISON — SERCO CONTRACT —
MOBILE PHONES
740. Mr P. PAPALIA to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
I have a supplementary question.
(1) On seeing
the story on the front page of The West
Australian today, why did the Minister for Corrective Services not ask how
many phones have been found inside Serco-run prisons in recent times?
(2) Why did he
not ask whether that was a breach of the contract?
(3) Why did he
not show any interest at all in his portfolio in such a serious matter?
MOBILE PHONES
740. Mr P. PAPALIA to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
I have a supplementary question.
(1) On seeing
the story on the front page of The West
Australian today, why did the Minister for Corrective Services not ask how
many phones have been found inside Serco-run prisons in recent times?
(2) Why did he
not ask whether that was a breach of the contract?
(3) Why did he
not show any interest at all in his portfolio in such a serious matter?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
What I will tell the member for Warnbro about the operation in the report on
the front page of The West Australian today is that there is no guarantee and at the moment no evidence that the
updating of that social media website was done from within the walls of a
prison; it could have well been done from outside. Anyone can release their
information—their log-on and user name details. As people in this place
know, unfortunately, there are even fake social media accounts.
Mr
P. Papalia : Did you ask?
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Member for Warnbro, of course I have asked all of these
questions. It is the first thing I did this morning.
Mr
P. Papalia : Why can't you answer the question?
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Because I have not got the answers yet. It is important to
remember that there is as much likelihood that that person did not update his
social media page from within a prison but that it was done by someone else on
the outside.
What I will tell the member for Warnbro about the operation in the report on
the front page of The West Australian today is that there is no guarantee and at the moment no evidence that the
updating of that social media website was done from within the walls of a
prison; it could have well been done from outside. Anyone can release their
information—their log-on and user name details. As people in this place
know, unfortunately, there are even fake social media accounts.
Mr
P. Papalia : Did you ask?
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Member for Warnbro, of course I have asked all of these
questions. It is the first thing I did this morning.
Mr
P. Papalia : Why can't you answer the question?
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Because I have not got the answers yet. It is important to
remember that there is as much likelihood that that person did not update his
social media page from within a prison but that it was done by someone else on
the outside.
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