Mr TOYNE - 1998-02-19
Could her freedom of information legislation be used by the residents of Alice Springs to determine if security failures at Alice Springs Correctional Centre are a threat to that community? Could the same legislation be used to expose the incompetence of the Minister for Correctional Services?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to answer these questions. The answer to both of them is yes. The people in the Alice Springs region, the prison officers working at the Alice Springs jail, the residents of Alice Springs and, indeed, anybody else who is interested and has a belief that the prison in Alice Springs is being poorly administered by the Country Liberal Party administration, would be able to access the internal memorandums of the Department of Correctional Services to confirm their fears. They would be able to access information on the huge numbers of staff who have resigned from the jail over recent months. Prison officers working at the jail would be able to access reports and reviews on the impact of security failures at the jail. Those officers would be able to use this information to determine whether their employer is providing them with a safe workplace, as the Work Health Act requires it to do.
All these issues would be accessible under the proposed Freedom of Information Bill that I introduced into this House yesterday. The prisoners who were released 3 months after their due release date would be able to access information enabling them to take legal action against this minister. I would not be surprised if they do it anyway. Prison officers required to undergo regular refresher training courses would be able to access the internal memorandums trashing those courses as a result of lack of funds. All of these things would be revealed by freedom of information legislation. It would reveal the appalling lack of security that surrounds the cottages that are part of the Alice Springs jail. Members will recall that, in the early days of the use of these cottages, prisoners left the cottages, travelled into Alice Springs, burgled a house and a couple of cars, stole a vehicle and drove back to the cottages. They re-entered the cottages without anybody noticing. In fact, it was only after they tried this stunt a couple of times that they were caught.
Freedom of information legislation would reveal that breaches of security still occur at these cottages. It would reveal memos sent by prison officers to their supervisors expressing concern at the fact that prisoners are always alerted to inspections of these cottages. It is impossible to get through to the cottages without passing through noisy rollers doors. That is of concern to them. It would reveal memos from prison officers expressing their concern about evidence of drinking and drug use by prisoners in this area. The evidence of bottles strewn around the bush near these cottages makes the message very clear. Freedom of information would reveal that prisoners in these cottages have been receiving visits from their partners while supposedly serving time in jail. The number of mattresses strewn around in the bush is testimony to what is likely to be going on in that regard.
This document provides very good evidence of what is occurring. It is a form that prisoners have to sign before being accommodated in the cottage section of the prison. They have to declare:
On [date], it was explained to me, prisoner [name], IJIS [number], that I am liable to prosecution if I abscond from
any designated area as defined by the superintendent and/or CPO classifications. I will obey any lawful instruction
given to me by an officer.
In other words, they promise that they will not escape. What a joke! Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table the document.
Leave granted.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, keep your answer relevant to the question.
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, presumably prisoners are committed to incarceration in Alice Springs Correctional Centre because they have committed some offence. They are now required to sign a form saying they promise they will not escape. This is all that stands between the security of Alice Springs residents and the ability of prisoners to break out of the jail to burgle houses and cars, return to the prison, receive visits from their partners and obtain drugs. This piece of paper is all that protects the residents of Alice Springs from all that.
Mr POOLE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition is misleading the House. Those people who burgled a house while they were in minimum security cottages were detained and prosecuted. It is not true to say
Page 8
that they are accommodated in minimum security any longer.
Madam SPEAKER: There is a point of order.
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, I am sure the minister will have an opportunity to respond to this in due course.
As I say, all ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will confine her answer to the question of freedom of information.
Mrs HICKEY: What freedom of information would most clearly reveal is the incompetence of the Minister for Correctional Services. It would also reveal his incompetence as the Minister for Essential Services. Indeed ...
Mr POOLE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition is still misleading the House by talking about her Freedom of Information Bill. Clause 40 is titled 'Matter relating to law enforcement or public safety'. Subclause 40(1)(h) refers quite clearly to 'prejudice a system or procedure for the protection of persons, property or environment'. Obviously, the information would not be available.
Mr Bailey: Of course it would.
Members interjecting.
Mr POOLE: You do not know what you are talking about.
Mr Bailey: It is not about giving details of security systems.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! There appears to be a point of order.
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, I am not sure what the point of order is that the minister is making, unless he wants me to withdraw ...
Mr Poole: You are misleading the House. That is the point of order.
Mrs HICKEY: ... that remark, which I do not intend to do. I shall continue my remarks.
I have no doubt that, if we had freedom ...
Mr PALMER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It is not the Leader of the Opposition's privilege to continue her remarks. She is answering a question and she should do so succinctly.
Madam SPEAKER: I note your comment, minister. Leader of the Opposition ...
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, I will take a leaf out of the book of the Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, it might be time for you to wind up.
Mrs HICKEY: I shall continue my remarks, Madam Speaker.
I have no doubt that freedom of information legislation would finally reveal to everybody that this minister is incompetent across the portfolios for which he has responsibility, and it would hasten the exit from politics of the member for Araluen. In doing so, it would be confirmed as very successful legislation indeed.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am delighted to answer these questions. The answer to both of them is yes. The people in the Alice Springs region, the prison officers working at the Alice Springs jail, the residents of Alice Springs and, indeed, anybody else who is interested and has a belief that the prison in Alice Springs is being poorly administered by the Country Liberal Party administration, would be able to access the internal memorandums of the Department of Correctional Services to confirm their fears. They would be able to access information on the huge numbers of staff who have resigned from the jail over recent months. Prison officers working at the jail would be able to access reports and reviews on the impact of security failures at the jail. Those officers would be able to use this information to determine whether their employer is providing them with a safe workplace, as the Work Health Act requires it to do.
All these issues would be accessible under the proposed Freedom of Information Bill that I introduced into this House yesterday. The prisoners who were released 3 months after their due release date would be able to access information enabling them to take legal action against this minister. I would not be surprised if they do it anyway. Prison officers required to undergo regular refresher training courses would be able to access the internal memorandums trashing those courses as a result of lack of funds. All of these things would be revealed by freedom of information legislation. It would reveal the appalling lack of security that surrounds the cottages that are part of the Alice Springs jail. Members will recall that, in the early days of the use of these cottages, prisoners left the cottages, travelled into Alice Springs, burgled a house and a couple of cars, stole a vehicle and drove back to the cottages. They re-entered the cottages without anybody noticing. In fact, it was only after they tried this stunt a couple of times that they were caught.
Freedom of information legislation would reveal that breaches of security still occur at these cottages. It would reveal memos sent by prison officers to their supervisors expressing concern at the fact that prisoners are always alerted to inspections of these cottages. It is impossible to get through to the cottages without passing through noisy rollers doors. That is of concern to them. It would reveal memos from prison officers expressing their concern about evidence of drinking and drug use by prisoners in this area. The evidence of bottles strewn around the bush near these cottages makes the message very clear. Freedom of information would reveal that prisoners in these cottages have been receiving visits from their partners while supposedly serving time in jail. The number of mattresses strewn around in the bush is testimony to what is likely to be going on in that regard.
This document provides very good evidence of what is occurring. It is a form that prisoners have to sign before being accommodated in the cottage section of the prison. They have to declare:
On [date], it was explained to me, prisoner [name], IJIS [number], that I am liable to prosecution if I abscond from
any designated area as defined by the superintendent and/or CPO classifications. I will obey any lawful instruction
given to me by an officer.
In other words, they promise that they will not escape. What a joke! Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table the document.
Leave granted.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, keep your answer relevant to the question.
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, presumably prisoners are committed to incarceration in Alice Springs Correctional Centre because they have committed some offence. They are now required to sign a form saying they promise they will not escape. This is all that stands between the security of Alice Springs residents and the ability of prisoners to break out of the jail to burgle houses and cars, return to the prison, receive visits from their partners and obtain drugs. This piece of paper is all that protects the residents of Alice Springs from all that.
Mr POOLE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition is misleading the House. Those people who burgled a house while they were in minimum security cottages were detained and prosecuted. It is not true to say
Page 8
that they are accommodated in minimum security any longer.
Madam SPEAKER: There is a point of order.
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, I am sure the minister will have an opportunity to respond to this in due course.
As I say, all ...
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will confine her answer to the question of freedom of information.
Mrs HICKEY: What freedom of information would most clearly reveal is the incompetence of the Minister for Correctional Services. It would also reveal his incompetence as the Minister for Essential Services. Indeed ...
Mr POOLE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition is still misleading the House by talking about her Freedom of Information Bill. Clause 40 is titled 'Matter relating to law enforcement or public safety'. Subclause 40(1)(h) refers quite clearly to 'prejudice a system or procedure for the protection of persons, property or environment'. Obviously, the information would not be available.
Mr Bailey: Of course it would.
Members interjecting.
Mr POOLE: You do not know what you are talking about.
Mr Bailey: It is not about giving details of security systems.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! There appears to be a point of order.
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, I am not sure what the point of order is that the minister is making, unless he wants me to withdraw ...
Mr Poole: You are misleading the House. That is the point of order.
Mrs HICKEY: ... that remark, which I do not intend to do. I shall continue my remarks.
I have no doubt that, if we had freedom ...
Mr PALMER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It is not the Leader of the Opposition's privilege to continue her remarks. She is answering a question and she should do so succinctly.
Madam SPEAKER: I note your comment, minister. Leader of the Opposition ...
Mrs HICKEY: Madam Speaker, I will take a leaf out of the book of the Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, it might be time for you to wind up.
Mrs HICKEY: I shall continue my remarks, Madam Speaker.
I have no doubt that freedom of information legislation would finally reveal to everybody that this minister is incompetent across the portfolios for which he has responsibility, and it would hasten the exit from politics of the member for Araluen. In doing so, it would be confirmed as very successful legislation indeed.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016