❓ The Minister for Justice defends the government's record on corrections, highlighting increased funding and staffing, while strongly criticizing the opposition's past performance and recent claims made by the member for Nedlands regarding regional prisons.
AnsweredQoN 614Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to recent comments by the member for Nedlands regarding regional prisons. Can the minister advise the House of this and other corrections issues? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS
AnswerView source ↗
This Government has committed an extra $50 million in the past 12 months, on top of previous funding, to deliver an effective corrections system. This includes the recent decision to spend $16 million extra on capacity in the Bunbury, Albany and Eastern Goldfields Regional Prisons. One hundred extra prison officers will be employed to deal with those staffing requirements. That should be compared with the performance of those who now sit opposite. It should be compared with the overcrowding at Casuarina Prison during the time of the previous Government. The Casuarina muster was double its capacity, at some 700 prisoners, with double bunking. On the day of the Casuarina riot, there were 529 prisoners at Casuarina - 30 per cent over capacity. After that debacle, 21 prison staff and 30 prisoners needed hospitalisation and treatment. What did the coalition do to address those problems? It did absolutely nothing. In fact, it privatised. It established Acacia Prison, managed by Australian Integration Management Services Corporation Pty Ltd, and the rest is history. It also starved the community corrections area of offender services of funding. We had the highest corrections caseload in Australia, and the previous Government delivered a community corrections system that was severely criticised by the Auditor General in 2001. Since then, the Government has engaged 55 new community corrections officers over and above the number in place back in 2001. The previous Government also presided over an escape rate double that of the term of the present Government. The member for Nedlands has today put out a media release that is just lies. It states, in paragraph 4, that several prisons do not have re-entry programs. Well, guess what! All prisons have re-entry programs. The member for Nedlands is just wrong; she cannot get her facts right. Her press release is nothing more than rubbish and should be filed in her little round filing cabinet. It is totally wrong. The last round of community development employment projects was commenced in the Pilbara in September this year. The member for Nedlands is wrong again. She cannot be believed. She has been critical of Roebourne Regional Prison and made some outrageous claims about its state that compare - Mr C.J. Barnett: Didn’t you read the inspector’s report again? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: This Government has committed an extra $50 million in the past 12 months, on top of previous funding, to deliver an effective corrections system. This includes the recent decision to spend $16 million extra on capacity in the Bunbury, Albany and Eastern Goldfields Regional Prisons. One hundred extra prison officers will be employed to deal with those staffing requirements. That should be compared with the performance of those who now sit opposite. It should be compared with the overcrowding at Casuarina Prison during the time of the previous Government. The Casuarina muster was double its capacity, at some 700 prisoners, with double bunking. On the day of the Casuarina riot, there were 529 prisoners at Casuarina - 30 per cent over capacity. After that debacle, 21 prison staff and 30 prisoners needed hospitalisation and treatment. What did the coalition do to address those problems? It did absolutely nothing. In fact, it privatised. It established Acacia Prison, managed by Australian Integration Management Services Corporation Pty Ltd, and the rest is history. It also starved the community corrections area of offender services of funding. We had the highest corrections caseload in Australia, and the previous Government delivered a community corrections system that was severely criticised by the Auditor General in 2001. Since then, the Government has engaged 55 new community corrections officers over and above the number in place back in 2001. The previous Government also presided over an escape rate double that of the term of the present Government. The member for Nedlands has today put out a media release that is just lies. It states, in paragraph 4, that several prisons do not have re-entry programs. Well, guess what! All prisons have re-entry programs. The member for Nedlands is just wrong; she cannot get her facts right. Her press release is nothing more than rubbish and should be filed in her little round filing cabinet. It is totally wrong. The last round of community development employment projects was commenced in the Pilbara in September this year. The member for Nedlands is wrong again. She cannot be believed. She has been critical of Roebourne Regional Prison and made some outrageous claims about its state that compare - Mr C.J. Barnett: Didn’t you read the inspector’s report again? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
This Government has committed an extra $50 million in the past 12 months, on top of previous funding, to deliver an effective corrections system. This includes the recent decision to spend $16 million extra on capacity in the Bunbury, Albany and Eastern Goldfields Regional Prisons. One hundred extra prison officers will be employed to deal with those staffing requirements. That should be compared with the performance of those who now sit opposite. It should be compared with the overcrowding at Casuarina Prison during the time of the previous Government. The Casuarina muster was double its capacity, at some 700 prisoners, with double bunking. On the day of the Casuarina riot, there were 529 prisoners at Casuarina - 30 per cent over capacity. After that debacle, 21 prison staff and 30 prisoners needed hospitalisation and treatment. What did the coalition do to address those problems? It did absolutely nothing. In fact, it privatised. It established Acacia Prison, managed by Australian Integration Management Services Corporation Pty Ltd, and the rest is history. It also starved the community corrections area of offender services of funding. We had the highest corrections caseload in Australia, and the previous Government delivered a community corrections system that was severely criticised by the Auditor General in 2001. Since then, the Government has engaged 55 new community corrections officers over and above the number in place back in 2001. The previous Government also presided over an escape rate double that of the term of the present Government. The member for Nedlands has today put out a media release that is just lies. It states, in paragraph 4, that several prisons do not have re-entry programs. Well, guess what! All prisons have re-entry programs. The member for Nedlands is just wrong; she cannot get her facts right. Her press release is nothing more than rubbish and should be filed in her little round filing cabinet. It is totally wrong. The last round of community development employment projects was commenced in the Pilbara in September this year. The member for Nedlands is wrong again. She cannot be believed. She has been critical of Roebourne Regional Prison and made some outrageous claims about its state that compare - Mr C.J. Barnett: Didn’t you read the inspector’s report again? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
The member for Nedlands has today put out a media release that is just lies. It states, in paragraph 4, that several prisons do not have re-entry programs. Well, guess what! All prisons have re-entry programs. The member for Nedlands is just wrong; she cannot get her facts right. Her press release is nothing more than rubbish and should be filed in her little round filing cabinet. It is totally wrong. The last round of community development employment projects was commenced in the Pilbara in September this year. The member for Nedlands is wrong again. She cannot be believed. She has been critical of Roebourne Regional Prison and made some outrageous claims about its state that compare - Mr C.J. Barnett: Didn’t you read the inspector’s report again? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Didn’t you read the inspector’s report again? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: This Government has committed an extra $50 million in the past 12 months, on top of previous funding, to deliver an effective corrections system. This includes the recent decision to spend $16 million extra on capacity in the Bunbury, Albany and Eastern Goldfields Regional Prisons. One hundred extra prison officers will be employed to deal with those staffing requirements. That should be compared with the performance of those who now sit opposite. It should be compared with the overcrowding at Casuarina Prison during the time of the previous Government. The Casuarina muster was double its capacity, at some 700 prisoners, with double bunking. On the day of the Casuarina riot, there were 529 prisoners at Casuarina - 30 per cent over capacity. After that debacle, 21 prison staff and 30 prisoners needed hospitalisation and treatment. What did the coalition do to address those problems? It did absolutely nothing. In fact, it privatised. It established Acacia Prison, managed by Australian Integration Management Services Corporation Pty Ltd, and the rest is history. It also starved the community corrections area of offender services of funding. We had the highest corrections caseload in Australia, and the previous Government delivered a community corrections system that was severely criticised by the Auditor General in 2001. Since then, the Government has engaged 55 new community corrections officers over and above the number in place back in 2001. The previous Government also presided over an escape rate double that of the term of the present Government. The member for Nedlands has today put out a media release that is just lies. It states, in paragraph 4, that several prisons do not have re-entry programs. Well, guess what! All prisons have re-entry programs. The member for Nedlands is just wrong; she cannot get her facts right. Her press release is nothing more than rubbish and should be filed in her little round filing cabinet. It is totally wrong. The last round of community development employment projects was commenced in the Pilbara in September this year. The member for Nedlands is wrong again. She cannot be believed. She has been critical of Roebourne Regional Prison and made some outrageous claims about its state that compare - Mr C.J. Barnett: Didn’t you read the inspector’s report again? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
This Government has committed an extra $50 million in the past 12 months, on top of previous funding, to deliver an effective corrections system. This includes the recent decision to spend $16 million extra on capacity in the Bunbury, Albany and Eastern Goldfields Regional Prisons. One hundred extra prison officers will be employed to deal with those staffing requirements. That should be compared with the performance of those who now sit opposite. It should be compared with the overcrowding at Casuarina Prison during the time of the previous Government. The Casuarina muster was double its capacity, at some 700 prisoners, with double bunking. On the day of the Casuarina riot, there were 529 prisoners at Casuarina - 30 per cent over capacity. After that debacle, 21 prison staff and 30 prisoners needed hospitalisation and treatment. What did the coalition do to address those problems? It did absolutely nothing. In fact, it privatised. It established Acacia Prison, managed by Australian Integration Management Services Corporation Pty Ltd, and the rest is history. It also starved the community corrections area of offender services of funding. We had the highest corrections caseload in Australia, and the previous Government delivered a community corrections system that was severely criticised by the Auditor General in 2001. Since then, the Government has engaged 55 new community corrections officers over and above the number in place back in 2001. The previous Government also presided over an escape rate double that of the term of the present Government. The member for Nedlands has today put out a media release that is just lies. It states, in paragraph 4, that several prisons do not have re-entry programs. Well, guess what! All prisons have re-entry programs. The member for Nedlands is just wrong; she cannot get her facts right. Her press release is nothing more than rubbish and should be filed in her little round filing cabinet. It is totally wrong. The last round of community development employment projects was commenced in the Pilbara in September this year. The member for Nedlands is wrong again. She cannot be believed. She has been critical of Roebourne Regional Prison and made some outrageous claims about its state that compare - Mr C.J. Barnett: Didn’t you read the inspector’s report again? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
The member for Nedlands has today put out a media release that is just lies. It states, in paragraph 4, that several prisons do not have re-entry programs. Well, guess what! All prisons have re-entry programs. The member for Nedlands is just wrong; she cannot get her facts right. Her press release is nothing more than rubbish and should be filed in her little round filing cabinet. It is totally wrong. The last round of community development employment projects was commenced in the Pilbara in September this year. The member for Nedlands is wrong again. She cannot be believed. She has been critical of Roebourne Regional Prison and made some outrageous claims about its state that compare - Mr C.J. Barnett: Didn’t you read the inspector’s report again? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Didn’t you read the inspector’s report again? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition should quote the inspector, because my office has spoken with the inspector today. Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
Mr P.D. Omodei: Today? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: We routinely speak to the inspector. He has seen the outrageous claims that were made today by the member for Nedlands. He does not agree with them either, because he knows what has been occurring at the Roebourne prison. In fact, the inspector recently advised my office that Western Australia had one of the best prison systems in Australia. I must say that that is largely due to the significant role that the inspector also plays in the system. He has again confirmed today, because of this outrageous, scurrilous and totally inaccurate press release, that Roebourne Regional Prison is not in a dangerous state, as claimed by the member for Nedlands. The member for Nedlands can make up what she wants, but the facts speak for themselves. We are spending an additional $16 million on prison capacity. We are employing an extra 100 officers. We have already spent an additional $2 million on offender programs over the past couple of years. We have engaged 55 new community correction officers and spent an additional $20 million on tackling juvenile crime. It is another inaccurate, crazy stunt by the member for Nedlands. She and the member for Kalgoorlie, who is not here today, cannot get their facts straight on this issue. The member for Kalgoorlie has complained about the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women because it is not like stalag 13, and the member for Nedlands has complained about Roebourne Regional Prison because it is not like the Hilton or the Ritz. The conditions for prisoners at the Roebourne prison will never be like the Hilton or the Ritz. They will not be like the conditions that the member for Nedlands is used to because it is a prison and it is in Roebourne.
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