Mr BAILEY - 1998-02-19
While the minister seems to know very little about what keeps prisoners from escaping from the facility, he may like to confirm that 3 prisoners held at Alice Springs jail were released well after their due release date. Can the minister advise whether 2 of those prisoners were released 3 months after their release date, and one was released 1 month after his release date? Will he advise whether his incompetence has exposed the government to liability and, if so, how much? Can he explain what occurred to cause this major mistake?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have not been advised by the prison authorities that anybody has been held for longer than they should have been. I do know there are some arrangements to assist people to get back to their communities, which might sometimes detain them for a period of hours. I am not aware of anybody being held longer than they should have been. As far as I am concerned, prisoners come into the prison for the period of a warrant from the courts and they are released at the expiration of that warrant.
The previous question related to computers and security. The operation of computers in the jail has nothing to do with the security systems. The locks in the jails are not controlled electronically. There are some automatic systems, but cells etc all have manual locks. Computers really have nothing to do with the security system.
When I was away, I picked up an asinine press release by the shadow minister for correctional services relating to the use of what he called 'calming gas'. He and Mark Wheeler, the failed ALP candidate for MacDonnell who happens to be the union man for this section of corrections, issued this release. I was staggered. He was complaining that the 'calming gas' had been removed from the security area of the jail and taken out of the day-to-day control of officers in the prison. The fact is that we do not have 'calming gas' in the jail. We have a form of tear gas which is designed to be used against prisoners in riot situations.
The press release would make one think that there had been a riot. A convicted murderer was ranting and raving while locked in a cell. The release talked about injuries suffered by officers who were trying to restrain this prisoner. In fact, they went to close the observation vent in the door. When one of the officers put his hand up to close the vent, the prisoner kicked it and chipped a bone in the officer's finger. I regret any prison officer being injured in the course of his duty, but I would not describe the incident as a major security matter that warranted the use of tear gas. Commonsense would probably have dictated that the prisoner be simply left in the cell. In any event, no request was made of prison management to utilise the tear gas which is kept in the armoury, as it should be, to avoid its wrongful use. I suggest that the shadow spokesman knows very little about correctional services. His information comes purely from a disgruntled ALP candidate.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have not been advised by the prison authorities that anybody has been held for longer than they should have been. I do know there are some arrangements to assist people to get back to their communities, which might sometimes detain them for a period of hours. I am not aware of anybody being held longer than they should have been. As far as I am concerned, prisoners come into the prison for the period of a warrant from the courts and they are released at the expiration of that warrant.
The previous question related to computers and security. The operation of computers in the jail has nothing to do with the security systems. The locks in the jails are not controlled electronically. There are some automatic systems, but cells etc all have manual locks. Computers really have nothing to do with the security system.
When I was away, I picked up an asinine press release by the shadow minister for correctional services relating to the use of what he called 'calming gas'. He and Mark Wheeler, the failed ALP candidate for MacDonnell who happens to be the union man for this section of corrections, issued this release. I was staggered. He was complaining that the 'calming gas' had been removed from the security area of the jail and taken out of the day-to-day control of officers in the prison. The fact is that we do not have 'calming gas' in the jail. We have a form of tear gas which is designed to be used against prisoners in riot situations.
The press release would make one think that there had been a riot. A convicted murderer was ranting and raving while locked in a cell. The release talked about injuries suffered by officers who were trying to restrain this prisoner. In fact, they went to close the observation vent in the door. When one of the officers put his hand up to close the vent, the prisoner kicked it and chipped a bone in the officer's finger. I regret any prison officer being injured in the course of his duty, but I would not describe the incident as a major security matter that warranted the use of tear gas. Commonsense would probably have dictated that the prisoner be simply left in the cell. In any event, no request was made of prison management to utilise the tear gas which is kept in the armoury, as it should be, to avoid its wrongful use. I suggest that the shadow spokesman knows very little about correctional services. His information comes purely from a disgruntled ALP candidate.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016