Dr LIM - 1997-04-23
The ALP recently launched its law and order strategy. What a farce! I do not believe the strategy is worth the paper it is written on. The strategy claims that Labor would expand the Darwin prison to accommodate further prisoners. Isn't the CLP government already carrying out this capital works program?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is interesting to see the concern expressed by the members opposite when a question is asked about one of their policies, and rightly so. It should come as no surprise to any of us that, the more one reads through the ALP's supposed law and order strategy, the more one can see that it is CLP policy, except for a couple of key points. One of those key points is, of course, the ALP's policy of doing away with mandatory sentencing, not putting people in prison and being softer on crime. There is a clear policy differentiation between the ALP and the CLP there. On radio yesterday and in the parliament, the Leader of the Opposition said that, in essence, their objective is to get rid of mandatory sentencing. There is no question about it. Members can read it in Hansard if they want the specific wording.
The other thing I noticed was in respect of the Darwin Correctional Centre. The strategy boasts that, under a Labor government, the Darwin prison will be expanded - a great objective! I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news for the opposition, but that is happening already. By 1 July this year, an additional 160 inmates will be able to be accommodated at Darwin prison, following the decision by Cabinet - 2 months ago, and publicly announced - to inject around $3m into the project this financial year, 1996-97. The accommodation will be focused on low-security and medium-security prisoners and will not only overcome existing overcrowding but will provide additional space in the prison to accommodate additional prisoners. The additional 160 beds at the prison will be made up from the construction and installation of demountable accommodation in a low-security area to house about 60 inmates, and the construction of medium-security accommodation to house 100 prisoners. Both
these facilities are within the main security fence at the prison.
Ms Martin: We will re-establish Darwin as the main prison.
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Mr HATTON: That is interesting. They have changed the words. I must apologise to the member for Fannie Bay. I am not sure whether she is proposing it, but certainly we will not be airconditioning the prison complex at Berrimah.
Ms Martin: Who said aircondition it?
Mr HATTON: The member was somewhat concerned to try to have airconditioning into the Alice Springs prison. I presume she wants the same thing in Darwin. Her lobbying for split-system, reverse-cycle airconditioning in Territory prisons, with remote-control facilities, illustrates the soft approach that Labor has had and continues to have to law and order and those sentenced to a term of incarceration.
The expansion of Darwin prison will go a long way towards meeting the expected increase in prisoner numbers since the introduction of mandatory sentencing on 8 March. The member for Fannie Bay joined the interjecting chorus from the opposition, saying that Labor will re-establish Darwin prison as the major prison in the Northern Territory. She made that comment across the floor. Isn't it interesting that we have announced on a number of occasions already that we are currently investigating and carrying out research to achieve exactly that? In the meantime, we are providing additional spaces at Darwin prison. I do not know why she wants to build the extra prison space here because she wants to let all the prisoners out anyway. She ought to give up and go back to radio announcing where at least she could get away with these nonsensical statements.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is interesting to see the concern expressed by the members opposite when a question is asked about one of their policies, and rightly so. It should come as no surprise to any of us that, the more one reads through the ALP's supposed law and order strategy, the more one can see that it is CLP policy, except for a couple of key points. One of those key points is, of course, the ALP's policy of doing away with mandatory sentencing, not putting people in prison and being softer on crime. There is a clear policy differentiation between the ALP and the CLP there. On radio yesterday and in the parliament, the Leader of the Opposition said that, in essence, their objective is to get rid of mandatory sentencing. There is no question about it. Members can read it in Hansard if they want the specific wording.
The other thing I noticed was in respect of the Darwin Correctional Centre. The strategy boasts that, under a Labor government, the Darwin prison will be expanded - a great objective! I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news for the opposition, but that is happening already. By 1 July this year, an additional 160 inmates will be able to be accommodated at Darwin prison, following the decision by Cabinet - 2 months ago, and publicly announced - to inject around $3m into the project this financial year, 1996-97. The accommodation will be focused on low-security and medium-security prisoners and will not only overcome existing overcrowding but will provide additional space in the prison to accommodate additional prisoners. The additional 160 beds at the prison will be made up from the construction and installation of demountable accommodation in a low-security area to house about 60 inmates, and the construction of medium-security accommodation to house 100 prisoners. Both
these facilities are within the main security fence at the prison.
Ms Martin: We will re-establish Darwin as the main prison.
Page 2045
Mr HATTON: That is interesting. They have changed the words. I must apologise to the member for Fannie Bay. I am not sure whether she is proposing it, but certainly we will not be airconditioning the prison complex at Berrimah.
Ms Martin: Who said aircondition it?
Mr HATTON: The member was somewhat concerned to try to have airconditioning into the Alice Springs prison. I presume she wants the same thing in Darwin. Her lobbying for split-system, reverse-cycle airconditioning in Territory prisons, with remote-control facilities, illustrates the soft approach that Labor has had and continues to have to law and order and those sentenced to a term of incarceration.
The expansion of Darwin prison will go a long way towards meeting the expected increase in prisoner numbers since the introduction of mandatory sentencing on 8 March. The member for Fannie Bay joined the interjecting chorus from the opposition, saying that Labor will re-establish Darwin prison as the major prison in the Northern Territory. She made that comment across the floor. Isn't it interesting that we have announced on a number of occasions already that we are currently investigating and carrying out research to achieve exactly that? In the meantime, we are providing additional spaces at Darwin prison. I do not know why she wants to build the extra prison space here because she wants to let all the prisoners out anyway. She ought to give up and go back to radio announcing where at least she could get away with these nonsensical statements.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016