❓ The Minister for Justice responded to concerns about prisoners receiving golf lessons at taxpayers' expense, stating the practice has ceased and a review of prisoner recreational activities is underway.
AnsweredQoN 932Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Can the minister inform the House of steps taken following recent reports of prisoners receiving golf lessons at taxpayers’ expense? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Girrawheen for her question. This Government was elected with a commitment to being tough on crime and criminals. There is an expectation in the community that taxes will not be used to treat prisoners to a day’s outing at a golf course. As soon as I became aware of this situation, I advised the Department of Justice that it would cease providing golf lessons for prisoners. Although I have no issue with prisoners engaging in exercise as part of their rehabilitation program, I cannot support offenders being given opportunities unavailable to many other members of the community. Put simply, many law-abiding citizens have neither the time nor the money to take golf lessons. I have asked the Department of Justice to provide me with a full report on this issue and any other recreational opportunities to which prisoners have access.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: I thank the member for Girrawheen for her question. This Government was elected with a commitment to being tough on crime and criminals. There is an expectation in the community that taxes will not be used to treat prisoners to a day’s outing at a golf course. As soon as I became aware of this situation, I advised the Department of Justice that it would cease providing golf lessons for prisoners. Although I have no issue with prisoners engaging in exercise as part of their rehabilitation program, I cannot support offenders being given opportunities unavailable to many other members of the community. Put simply, many law-abiding citizens have neither the time nor the money to take golf lessons. I have asked the Department of Justice to provide me with a full report on this issue and any other recreational opportunities to which prisoners have access.
I thank the member for Girrawheen for her question. This Government was elected with a commitment to being tough on crime and criminals. There is an expectation in the community that taxes will not be used to treat prisoners to a day’s outing at a golf course. As soon as I became aware of this situation, I advised the Department of Justice that it would cease providing golf lessons for prisoners. Although I have no issue with prisoners engaging in exercise as part of their rehabilitation program, I cannot support offenders being given opportunities unavailable to many other members of the community. Put simply, many law-abiding citizens have neither the time nor the money to take golf lessons. I have asked the Department of Justice to provide me with a full report on this issue and any other recreational opportunities to which prisoners have access.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: I thank the member for Girrawheen for her question. This Government was elected with a commitment to being tough on crime and criminals. There is an expectation in the community that taxes will not be used to treat prisoners to a day’s outing at a golf course. As soon as I became aware of this situation, I advised the Department of Justice that it would cease providing golf lessons for prisoners. Although I have no issue with prisoners engaging in exercise as part of their rehabilitation program, I cannot support offenders being given opportunities unavailable to many other members of the community. Put simply, many law-abiding citizens have neither the time nor the money to take golf lessons. I have asked the Department of Justice to provide me with a full report on this issue and any other recreational opportunities to which prisoners have access.
I thank the member for Girrawheen for her question. This Government was elected with a commitment to being tough on crime and criminals. There is an expectation in the community that taxes will not be used to treat prisoners to a day’s outing at a golf course. As soon as I became aware of this situation, I advised the Department of Justice that it would cease providing golf lessons for prisoners. Although I have no issue with prisoners engaging in exercise as part of their rehabilitation program, I cannot support offenders being given opportunities unavailable to many other members of the community. Put simply, many law-abiding citizens have neither the time nor the money to take golf lessons. I have asked the Department of Justice to provide me with a full report on this issue and any other recreational opportunities to which prisoners have access.
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