Mrs HICKEY - 1998-02-19
During this week, the opposition has demonstrated the incompetence of this minister in the handling of his responsibility for essential services. Today, we want him to answer some questions about the management of the Department of Correctional Services. Is it a fact that the inner perimeter fence of the Alice Springs Correctional Centre is completely insecure? Is it a fact that, of the 32 alarms attached to this $1m fence, 10 are permanently switched off? Is it a fact that a prisoner could bolt-cut his way through this inner fence and nobody would know about it? What security does this provide to the residents of nearby Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Dear oh dear, the wheel appears to be turning but the hamster is dead, I suspect! Madam Speaker, it is a fact that, some months ago, I instituted a complete review of security at Alice Springs and Darwin Correctional Centres following the breakout that occurred, with outside assistance, in Queensland when a number of dangerous prisoners escaped. As a result of that security review, a number of measures arose which, for obvious reasons, I will not discuss here, basically because to do so could jeopardise some of the security systems that are in place in Alice Springs.
What I can say is that I am well satisfied that security measures in both Alice Springs and Darwin are of a standard to enable the prisons to operate and to do precisely what they are supposed to do - that is, to maintain a living standard and a secure environment to manage prisoners who come into the correctional system. I have no concerns in relation to the security arrangements that are in place in our jails in the Northern Territory.
ANSWER
Dear oh dear, the wheel appears to be turning but the hamster is dead, I suspect! Madam Speaker, it is a fact that, some months ago, I instituted a complete review of security at Alice Springs and Darwin Correctional Centres following the breakout that occurred, with outside assistance, in Queensland when a number of dangerous prisoners escaped. As a result of that security review, a number of measures arose which, for obvious reasons, I will not discuss here, basically because to do so could jeopardise some of the security systems that are in place in Alice Springs.
What I can say is that I am well satisfied that security measures in both Alice Springs and Darwin are of a standard to enable the prisons to operate and to do precisely what they are supposed to do - that is, to maintain a living standard and a secure environment to manage prisoners who come into the correctional system. I have no concerns in relation to the security arrangements that are in place in our jails in the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016