PRISON CONDITIONS

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): My question is to the Minister for Correctional Services. Who is right in relation to the prisoner known as Jacqui? Is the Minister for Health right, when he said, and I quote, 'She has borderline personality disorder which is not generally considered to be a mental illness,' or was the Minister for Correctional Services right when she said that Jacqui was, and I quote, 'a very complex psychiatric patient'? The Public Advocate, Dr John Brayley, has stated:

Jacqui needs to be in a clinical environment. The psychiatrist in Victoria who reviewed her told me that she would be in a forensic mental health environment if she was in that state.

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) (14:21): I thank the leader for her question. Can I say, firstly, that was not my quote: it was me quoting from a report that we received, so that was not my quote. I am not in a position to be able to diagnose anyone in the prison system. There has been great concern about this woman because of her violent behaviour, her violent behaviour towards herself and, significantly, her violent behaviour towards the staff. The minister for—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Punishment because she has been convicted—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Bragg will stop interjecting!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —because she smashed someone's head on a concrete floor.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: The psychiatric diagnosis that we have received is that she doesn't warrant admission to James Nash House. This is being reviewed on a consistent basis and, in fact, I understand she was assessed only last week and is likely to be again assessed in the very near future.