CORRECTIONAL SERVICES OFFICERS

The Hon. L. STEVENS (Little Para) (16:44): Can the Minister for Correctional Services inform the house about the recent correctional officer trainee graduation at Port Augusta?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Gambling, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (16:44): I can—and I thank the honourable member for this question without notice. I recently went to Port Augusta to see the graduation of correctional officers, and I was very pleased to see that, after a decade of doing those graduations in Adelaide, we have finally taken them back up to Port Augusta where they belong. Now more than ever our regional prisons are providing employment opportunities for local people. The most recent batch of our graduates all live in the town in which they work. Eleven of the 12 graduates are to be posted to Port Augusta Prison, while one will be taking up a role at Cadell Training Centre. The regional prisons provide employment and bring economic security to country communities.

The latest class of trainee correctional officers have completed a three month course of theory and practical on-the-job experience to prepare them for the challenging and unique role in the state's prison system. Prison officers come from all walks of life. The most recent class included a former train driver, a carpenter, a former manager, a tyre fitter and a supervisor at the now dismantled Baxter immigration detention centre. Graduates bring with them a wealth of experience and a fresh approach to supervising and rehabilitating prisoners.

The Rann government will continue to improve existing facilities across the state. As members would be aware, the government is investing $38 million for 232 additional beds across our prisons including 80 medium to high security beds at Port Augusta Prison. This is in addition to the 374 new beds provided for in 2007-08 and 2008-09. In total, 606 new beds will be built into the state prison system.

Mr Pengilly: What's happening with Mobilong?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mobilong? Well, when you visit it, you'll know.

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: You're more than welcome to visit. The Rann government is also making sure that, where there is an increase in the prison population, that increased population also corresponds to staff increases. In 2008, 155 new correctional officers were recruited into the system. This year alone, 65 new officers have started work in our state's prisons, including the 12 who graduated at the end of last month.

While visiting Port Augusta Prison, I was fortunate enough to meet with and commend the staff who played a critical role in the management and the aftermath of a riot that occurred there in October last year. Many cells were extensively damaged and it is a credit to the staff's vigilance and maturity that the task of re-accommodating prisoners safely and securely was managed so professionally. I have said it before and I will say it again: I believe South Australia has some of the finest correctional officers in the country and I congratulate the latest school of trainee correctional officers and wish them well into the future.

The great thing about this course, as I said, is that after a decade of bringing that training into the city, we are now training people locally in regional areas taking the courses out to them. It is part of our process of investing in regional employment. The great thing about it is that these officers who did the training course in Port Augusta do not have to leave their families to come to Adelaide for three months. They can do it locally and it is part of our way of investing in our regions.

When the shadow minister visits Port Augusta Prison he will see the great work that those officers did in the aftermath of the riot in bringing back order to that prison and the way they equipped themselves. I was very pleased to hand out medals to the emergency response group and the officers on duty that day for the courage they showed in protecting their fellow officers and making sure that the entire prison did not descend into chaos.

What happened on that day was a great example of how prison officers are trained well in emergency management response. They did their jobs well, they responded well and the great thing about it now is that they are better off for the experience.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I look forward to the opposition supporting those amendments in the house. I notice that my now third correctional services shadow minister—

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: I rise on a point of order. The minister has entered debate about legislation before the house. He just told the house that he hopes the opposition supports the amendments before it. He cannot enter debate about legislation before the house.

The SPEAKER: If it is an infringement, it is a fairly minor infringement of the rule about pre-emption, but I think the minister has concluded his answer.