Mr ADAMSON - 1994-08-31
At the last sittings, the Leader of the Opposition made a very serious allegation against staff at Darwin Prison and Gunn Point Prison Farm when he claimed that prisoners at those institutions were denied their opportunity to register to vote. Was that allegation correct?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition made a mostserious accusation against the integrity and professionalism of Territory prison staff. At the last sittings, he claimed:
I have received a complaint from a person who visited the prison in Darwin 3 or 4 weeks ago before the closing of the roll. That person was informed by the prisoner that
prison inmates were being denied the opportunity to register and that they were not permitted to put their names on the roll even though the required forms were available.
These people had been sentenced to jail terms of less than 5 years and therefore were eligible to vote. I understand that some 150 prisoners at Berrimah were in that
situation and another 120 at Gunn Point. I have been advised that they were denied their opportunity to register to vote.
Basically, the Leader of the Opposition is claiming that the professional staff of my department acted inappropriately by blocking the democratic and legal right of prisoners to vote. I reject absolutely that allegation. It is totally unfounded. For the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition, I inform him that prison staff undertook a number of actions to advise prisoners of their ability to vote. Notices were placed on prison noticeboards and the matter was raised by prison superintendents at general musters for each of the Territory's 3 prisons. Prisoners who wished to apply for postal votes were permitted to do so, and those who needed assistance were helped by prison staff. The Northern Territory Electoral Office had the responsibility for deciding which of those applicants was eligible to vote.
I wrote to the Leader of the Opposition in order to reject this allegation and ask him not to take cheap political shots at the expense of staff in my department. His response was to accuse me of ducking the question and ask me to investigate details of prisoners' mail in order to provide him with information about the voting numbers. I remind him that this is an allegation about the behaviour of staff of the Department of Correctional Services. He must either withdraw his allegation or substantiate it. He is the only person ducking the question.
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I can only wonder at his request for me to provide him with details of prisoners' correspondence. The Leader of the Opposition's sympathy for prisoners is well known, given his track record of asking several convicted murderers for suggestions about improving the prisons system. I do not propose to indulge his wish to interfere in the details of prisoners' correspondence. The issue of who voted at the last election is a matter for the Electoral Office, and he should pursue his inquiries there. That is the appropriate channel. I repeat that my department took reasonable steps to advise prisoners of their right to vote and to allow them to do so. I reject the Leader of the Opposition's allegation against the professional integrity of my staff.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition made a mostserious accusation against the integrity and professionalism of Territory prison staff. At the last sittings, he claimed:
I have received a complaint from a person who visited the prison in Darwin 3 or 4 weeks ago before the closing of the roll. That person was informed by the prisoner that
prison inmates were being denied the opportunity to register and that they were not permitted to put their names on the roll even though the required forms were available.
These people had been sentenced to jail terms of less than 5 years and therefore were eligible to vote. I understand that some 150 prisoners at Berrimah were in that
situation and another 120 at Gunn Point. I have been advised that they were denied their opportunity to register to vote.
Basically, the Leader of the Opposition is claiming that the professional staff of my department acted inappropriately by blocking the democratic and legal right of prisoners to vote. I reject absolutely that allegation. It is totally unfounded. For the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition, I inform him that prison staff undertook a number of actions to advise prisoners of their ability to vote. Notices were placed on prison noticeboards and the matter was raised by prison superintendents at general musters for each of the Territory's 3 prisons. Prisoners who wished to apply for postal votes were permitted to do so, and those who needed assistance were helped by prison staff. The Northern Territory Electoral Office had the responsibility for deciding which of those applicants was eligible to vote.
I wrote to the Leader of the Opposition in order to reject this allegation and ask him not to take cheap political shots at the expense of staff in my department. His response was to accuse me of ducking the question and ask me to investigate details of prisoners' mail in order to provide him with information about the voting numbers. I remind him that this is an allegation about the behaviour of staff of the Department of Correctional Services. He must either withdraw his allegation or substantiate it. He is the only person ducking the question.
Page 113
I can only wonder at his request for me to provide him with details of prisoners' correspondence. The Leader of the Opposition's sympathy for prisoners is well known, given his track record of asking several convicted murderers for suggestions about improving the prisons system. I do not propose to indulge his wish to interfere in the details of prisoners' correspondence. The issue of who voted at the last election is a matter for the Electoral Office, and he should pursue his inquiries there. That is the appropriate channel. I repeat that my department took reasonable steps to advise prisoners of their right to vote and to allow them to do so. I reject the Leader of the Opposition's allegation against the professional integrity of my staff.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016