❓ The Minister for Corrective Services provides an update on the implementation of drug and alcohol testing for all staff in custodial environments, including prison officers, superintendents, and the commissioner. The program aims to improve workplace safety and maintain integrity within the department.
AnsweredQoN 144Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PRISON OFFICERS — DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING
144. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for
Corrective Services:
Can the minister update the house on
the status of drug and alcohol testing for prison officers?
144. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for
Corrective Services:
Can the minister update the house on
the status of drug and alcohol testing for prison officers?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Balcatta for
his question.
Mr
P. Papalia : How about testing the crims?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, you can ask a question on testing the crims. I
call you to order for the first time.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : I have not even started yet, but, member for Warnbro, we do
that also; we test criminals in prisons. If the member had been watching much
in the media lately, he would have seen the significant trial of a new program
on restrictions of privileges that we have introduced in Bunbury Regional
Prison in order to try a new way of ensuring that we can stop prisoners from
taking drugs, other than just the obvious way of stopping them from being
smuggled in. That brings me to the question. Last Friday, 18 March, the
Department of Corrective Services was authorised to begin testing those who
work in the custodial environment for both drugs and alcohol. That includes not
just prison officers and youth custodial officers, but also superintendents—in
fact, assistant commissioners and the commissioner himself can and will be
subjected to random alcohol and drug testing, because what is good for prison
officers is good for everyone in the custodial environment. We acknowledge that
prisons are full of dangerous people and prisons are dangerous places to work,
so we are driven and motivated by two reasons, the first of which is
occupational workplace safety. It is essential that any prison officer who
walks into a prison knows that the person by his side has his back and is free
from the influence of drugs and alcohol. Secondly, it is a matter of integrity.
It is only right, and it is the community's expectation, that we do
what we can to ensure that those who look after drug dealers and drug users are
free from the influence of drugs themselves. Firstly, workplace safety is the
key one and, secondly, it is about integrity. Also, if there is any suspicion
and credible evidence that staff members are using drugs, they can be recalled
to undertake drug testing. There will be a number of different avenues and
consequences to deal with those who test positive, starting with counselling
depending on whether it is a low level of alcohol, through to dismissal if it
is a significant drug offence and detection. We will do whatever it takes to
ensure that the very small number of prison officers who let the overwhelming
majority of the team down are dealt with. We are committed to cleaning up the
Department of Corrective Services, as members have seen in the past three
years. We are absolutely committed to trying to get drugs out of prisons, which
is a very difficult job.
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro!
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : We are absolutely committed to it, so I do not really care
what the Labor Party thinks about it. I do not really care what the WA Prison
Officers' Union thinks about it. They can harp on as much as they like.
We are very proud that, for the first time in many, many years, something is
happening to try to clean up the issue of drugs in prisons.
his question.
Mr
P. Papalia : How about testing the crims?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, you can ask a question on testing the crims. I
call you to order for the first time.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : I have not even started yet, but, member for Warnbro, we do
that also; we test criminals in prisons. If the member had been watching much
in the media lately, he would have seen the significant trial of a new program
on restrictions of privileges that we have introduced in Bunbury Regional
Prison in order to try a new way of ensuring that we can stop prisoners from
taking drugs, other than just the obvious way of stopping them from being
smuggled in. That brings me to the question. Last Friday, 18 March, the
Department of Corrective Services was authorised to begin testing those who
work in the custodial environment for both drugs and alcohol. That includes not
just prison officers and youth custodial officers, but also superintendents—in
fact, assistant commissioners and the commissioner himself can and will be
subjected to random alcohol and drug testing, because what is good for prison
officers is good for everyone in the custodial environment. We acknowledge that
prisons are full of dangerous people and prisons are dangerous places to work,
so we are driven and motivated by two reasons, the first of which is
occupational workplace safety. It is essential that any prison officer who
walks into a prison knows that the person by his side has his back and is free
from the influence of drugs and alcohol. Secondly, it is a matter of integrity.
It is only right, and it is the community's expectation, that we do
what we can to ensure that those who look after drug dealers and drug users are
free from the influence of drugs themselves. Firstly, workplace safety is the
key one and, secondly, it is about integrity. Also, if there is any suspicion
and credible evidence that staff members are using drugs, they can be recalled
to undertake drug testing. There will be a number of different avenues and
consequences to deal with those who test positive, starting with counselling
depending on whether it is a low level of alcohol, through to dismissal if it
is a significant drug offence and detection. We will do whatever it takes to
ensure that the very small number of prison officers who let the overwhelming
majority of the team down are dealt with. We are committed to cleaning up the
Department of Corrective Services, as members have seen in the past three
years. We are absolutely committed to trying to get drugs out of prisons, which
is a very difficult job.
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro!
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : We are absolutely committed to it, so I do not really care
what the Labor Party thinks about it. I do not really care what the WA Prison
Officers' Union thinks about it. They can harp on as much as they like.
We are very proud that, for the first time in many, many years, something is
happening to try to clean up the issue of drugs in prisons.
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