❓ Question regarding the benefits of engaging a private service provider (Sodexo) for the Melaleuca women's remand and reintegration facility, with the Minister highlighting cost savings and improved services compared to public operation.
AnsweredQoN 578Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MELALEUCA REMAND AND REINTEGRATION FACILITY — SODEXO
578. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the Minister for
Corrective Services:
On behalf of the member for
Forrestfield, I acknowledge the student leaders and staff from Maida Vale
Primary School in the public gallery.
I note that the minister recently
tabled the operator contract for the Melaleuca women's remand and
reintegration prison. Can the minister please update the house on the benefits
of engaging a private service provider for this facility?
578. Mrs G.J. GODFREY to the Minister for
Corrective Services:
On behalf of the member for
Forrestfield, I acknowledge the student leaders and staff from Maida Vale
Primary School in the public gallery.
I note that the minister recently
tabled the operator contract for the Melaleuca women's remand and
reintegration prison. Can the minister please update the house on the benefits
of engaging a private service provider for this facility?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Belmont for
her question on a very, very important issue for the state of Western Australia.
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Of course, as I have announced previously, some $24.3 million
was spent on a new women's remand and reintegration facility to change
the previous facility into a new one out at the old Hakea Prison site. As I have
conceded previously, the part of the prison estate with the most population
pressures on it is obviously the women's estate. It is important that
we get these things right. It is important that we do everything we can to try
to rehabilitate our vulnerable prisoners, particularly in this circumstance,
female prisoners, who have been both remanded and are being prepared for
reintegration into society. Following a very, very detailed and exhaustive
tender process that involved putting together an internal cost model, I would
like to acknowledge the Western Australian Prison Officers' Union's
contribution in being part of that process. The government has decided to
provide that contract to Sodexo .
Interestingly, the cost per prisoner per day will come in at $206. That is 42
per cent cheaper per prisoner per day than we are currently experiencing in
running Bandyup Women's Prison—42 per cent cheaper per prisoner
per day.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the third time.
Minister, continue.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : I know that the Labor Party does not like the idea of us
doing things that will save taxpayers' dollars—get better value
for money for Western Australian taxpayers—but it is not just about the
cost.
Several members interjected.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Mr Speaker, it is not just —
Mr
J.R. Quigley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : It is not just about the cost. It is also about the services
it will provide. It means that we will get better services for drug and alcohol
rehabilitation for female prisoners.
Several members interjected.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : It means that we will get better services when it comes to
providing bail options. It means that we will get better services out of this
contract for accommodation support once prisoners have been released. It means
that we will get better services to provide post-release support so those
prisoners who may be more likely to reoffend will be able to be kept on the
straight and narrow and we will see a reduction in the recidivism rate of
female prisoners. These are all very noble things to achieve, which could not
be done if it was kept within the private sector, regardless of the cost. This
is in line with the recommendations of the Economic Regulation Authority and we
are getting on and doing the job that needs to be done, regardless of the
politics. I know that the Labor Party hates it.
Several members interjected.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : I know that I do not have to go too far into the WA Labor
Party's platform to realise that if it ever made it to this side of the
house, it would rip up these contracts. WA Labor will ensure that public
services such as prisons, juvenile detention centres, prisoner transport and
community justice are not further privatised. Where they have been, they will
be brought back into the government's control and operation. The bottom
line of that —
Opposition members: Hear, hear!
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Members opposite all go ''Hear, hear!'' but
they cannot stand in here and say that they have a plan to address issues in
the economy and government spending when they would rip up these contracts and
cost the taxpayers of this state hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars—tens
of millions of dollars alone within just the Department of Corrective Services.
It is a disgrace. If members opposite ever did that, they would jeopardise the
rehabilitation of vulnerable prisoners. They would cost the taxpayers so much
more money! The greatest risk to the taxpayers of Western Australia is the
Labor Party in this house.
her question on a very, very important issue for the state of Western Australia.
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Of course, as I have announced previously, some $24.3 million
was spent on a new women's remand and reintegration facility to change
the previous facility into a new one out at the old Hakea Prison site. As I have
conceded previously, the part of the prison estate with the most population
pressures on it is obviously the women's estate. It is important that
we get these things right. It is important that we do everything we can to try
to rehabilitate our vulnerable prisoners, particularly in this circumstance,
female prisoners, who have been both remanded and are being prepared for
reintegration into society. Following a very, very detailed and exhaustive
tender process that involved putting together an internal cost model, I would
like to acknowledge the Western Australian Prison Officers' Union's
contribution in being part of that process. The government has decided to
provide that contract to Sodexo .
Interestingly, the cost per prisoner per day will come in at $206. That is 42
per cent cheaper per prisoner per day than we are currently experiencing in
running Bandyup Women's Prison—42 per cent cheaper per prisoner
per day.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the third time.
Minister, continue.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : I know that the Labor Party does not like the idea of us
doing things that will save taxpayers' dollars—get better value
for money for Western Australian taxpayers—but it is not just about the
cost.
Several members interjected.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Mr Speaker, it is not just —
Mr
J.R. Quigley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : It is not just about the cost. It is also about the services
it will provide. It means that we will get better services for drug and alcohol
rehabilitation for female prisoners.
Several members interjected.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : It means that we will get better services when it comes to
providing bail options. It means that we will get better services out of this
contract for accommodation support once prisoners have been released. It means
that we will get better services to provide post-release support so those
prisoners who may be more likely to reoffend will be able to be kept on the
straight and narrow and we will see a reduction in the recidivism rate of
female prisoners. These are all very noble things to achieve, which could not
be done if it was kept within the private sector, regardless of the cost. This
is in line with the recommendations of the Economic Regulation Authority and we
are getting on and doing the job that needs to be done, regardless of the
politics. I know that the Labor Party hates it.
Several members interjected.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : I know that I do not have to go too far into the WA Labor
Party's platform to realise that if it ever made it to this side of the
house, it would rip up these contracts. WA Labor will ensure that public
services such as prisons, juvenile detention centres, prisoner transport and
community justice are not further privatised. Where they have been, they will
be brought back into the government's control and operation. The bottom
line of that —
Opposition members: Hear, hear!
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : Members opposite all go ''Hear, hear!'' but
they cannot stand in here and say that they have a plan to address issues in
the economy and government spending when they would rip up these contracts and
cost the taxpayers of this state hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars—tens
of millions of dollars alone within just the Department of Corrective Services.
It is a disgrace. If members opposite ever did that, they would jeopardise the
rehabilitation of vulnerable prisoners. They would cost the taxpayers so much
more money! The greatest risk to the taxpayers of Western Australia is the
Labor Party in this house.
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