❓ Mr. Logan asks about plans to close prison cells as new units open. Mr. Redman acknowledges potential closures for maintenance due to increased capacity, but avoids specifics on numbers and timing.
AnsweredQoN 755Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PRISON EXPANSION PROGRAM
I refer to the minister’s regular boast about the prison expansion program and the number of units and cells that are being created. (1) Is there a plan to close existing prison unit cells at Hakea Prison, Casuarina Prison and Albany Regional Prison as the minister progressively opens the new units? (2) If so, how many cells will be closed, for how long, and will there be an overall reduction in the number of cells available to the department at these prisons? Mr D.T. REDMAN
I refer to the minister’s regular boast about the prison expansion program and the number of units and cells that are being created. (1) Is there a plan to close existing prison unit cells at Hakea Prison, Casuarina Prison and Albany Regional Prison as the minister progressively opens the new units? (2) If so, how many cells will be closed, for how long, and will there be an overall reduction in the number of cells available to the department at these prisons? Mr D.T. REDMAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. (1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
(1) Is there a plan to close existing prison unit cells at Hakea Prison, Casuarina Prison and Albany Regional Prison as the minister progressively opens the new units? (2) If so, how many cells will be closed, for how long, and will there be an overall reduction in the number of cells available to the department at these prisons? Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for the question. (1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
(2) If so, how many cells will be closed, for how long, and will there be an overall reduction in the number of cells available to the department at these prisons? Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for the question. (1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for the question. (1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
I thank the member for the question. (1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
(1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
(2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
(1) Is there a plan to close existing prison unit cells at Hakea Prison, Casuarina Prison and Albany Regional Prison as the minister progressively opens the new units? (2) If so, how many cells will be closed, for how long, and will there be an overall reduction in the number of cells available to the department at these prisons? Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for the question. (1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
(2) If so, how many cells will be closed, for how long, and will there be an overall reduction in the number of cells available to the department at these prisons? Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for the question. (1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: I thank the member for the question. (1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
I thank the member for the question. (1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
(1) We find ourselves in a very good situation at the moment because this government has invested $655 million in capital works for prisons to be able to respond to the challenges that we were facing when we came into government with not only the quality of the facilities and where they were at but also with the number of beds that we needed to cater for the growth in prison numbers that was happening at that time. Let us start from the premise of what we were presented with as a government — Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, if you want an answer to the question, I suggest you stop interjecting. Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : The first thing that happened is that we responded to what we were presented with when we came into government. We are a government that has been tough on crime. The consequence of that is that we will have an increasing prison population. The response to the peak that the previous minister took in about March 2010 was to put units into Casuarina, Hakea and Albany. Based on our current prison numbers, we have a chance to shut down some units to do some reparative work on them and bring them up to speed. When we have prisoners in all cells and all units of our prison system, we are not able to put that sort of maintenance work in place. The Department of Corrective Services is looking at the prison population around the state. Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
Mr P.B. Watson interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
The SPEAKER : Member for Albany! Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : It is taking advantage of the fact that we have made a significant investment in the prison system. We have responded to the number of beds that we have needed in order to meet the prison population in this state and potential growth in the out years. We now have a chance to shut down some units to save some money for the taxpayer and to also do some work on those prison units to bring them up to the standard that they should be at. (2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
(2) As to how many cells are closed, I am not in a position to comment on that detail. We should bear in mind that these other units are still coming on line and they will be on line before the end of the year for the most part, with the exception of one that will be on line early next year I think. I absolutely support the position that the commissioner is taking on the location of prisoners in that prison system so we can free up particular units, firstly, so that we do not have a level of staffing that is required to support the reduction in prison numbers that we have now compared with where it might have been; secondly, to do the maintenance work on those prison units that is so dearly needed; and, thirdly, to ensure that we have full use of the capital work that is being rolled out by this government. I make no apologies for the position we have taken as a government. I make no apologies for the support that we have put into the prison system which has been the response of a decade of neglect under the last government.
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