Question Time

COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (15:52): My question is to the Minister for Correctional Services. Is the Department for Correctional Services in the habit of asking local councils to cover the remuneration costs for community service work to be carried out in local government areas and, if so, why? The Port Lincoln City Council has recently rejected a proposal from the department for the council to cover the $200 per day remuneration costs, when previously the Garden of Remembrance, the grounds at the Axel Stenross Maritime Museum, and others, have been maintained by the community service workers free of cost?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:53): Repay SA is a really important rehabilitation program that Correctional Services runs, where we have people who are being monitored in the community undertaking community work or lower security prisoners going out in the community and doing work. The direct answer to the question is yes, it is normal to charge, and I understand that about $200 a day is the normal fee. A range of councils that we have agreements with pay Correctional Services to cover the costs of the materials that are often used in relation to undertaking the work these people do.