Ms CARNEY - 2005-10-13
Sexual assaults in the Northern Territory have risen under the Labor government. Recently, you announced that there would be sex offenders programs operating in both prisons by the middle of July. There are no sex offender programs operating due to a number of serious concerns prison officers have. You said in your earlier answer that their concerns had been addressed. Can you outline how those concerns have been addressed? When will the program start and will they be the same ones as originally planned in terms of content and duration?
ANSWER
The plan is to commence the sex offender program in the Alice Springs gaol within days. The hold-up for that was an ongoing disagreement regarding the number of prison officers that would be required to provide security around that activity. That has now been resolved. The staff who will deliver the program have been appointed, and the program will start as a psychology-based, professionally-based rehabilitation program. That will start within days. Once the program in the Alice Springs gaol is established, we will look to Berrimah gaol.
ANSWER
The plan is to commence the sex offender program in the Alice Springs gaol within days. The hold-up for that was an ongoing disagreement regarding the number of prison officers that would be required to provide security around that activity. That has now been resolved. The staff who will deliver the program have been appointed, and the program will start as a psychology-based, professionally-based rehabilitation program. That will start within days. Once the program in the Alice Springs gaol is established, we will look to Berrimah gaol.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016