PORT AUGUSTA PRISON

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:34): My question is directed to the Minister for Correctional Services. Can the minister inform the house of the significance of last week's opening of the Banksia Unit at Port Augusta Prison?

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) (15:34): I thank the member for Ashford for this question. Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of opening the new Banksia Unit at the Port Augusta Prison. Madam Speaker, I would like to acknowledge your attendance at the opening as well as the member for Stuart. Unfortunately, the shadow minister for corrections, the member for Morphett, was unable to attend. I hope from his recent tweeting and his interest in his former portfolios that it is not an indication that he is angling to return to those and leave corrections and emergency services.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: They do love you, Duncan. They do love you. The opening of the Banksia Unit was a truly significant occasion for Port Augusta. I had the pleasure of opening this unit, but I want to pay tribute to the Minister for Trade, because he did the very hard work of getting the money out of Treasury for the construction of this facility.

This construction provided significant local economic spin-offs, with more than 250 contractors engaged on the project and 27 new correctional officers from in and around Port Augusta having been recruited to work in the unit. The $16.2 million 90-bed unit is the most significant piece of prison infrastructure completed in this state for a quarter of a century, but it will soon be eclipsed by the $23 million 108-bed expansion at Mount Gambier Prison, which is already underway.

So far, the Mount Gambier project has resulted in an injection of $6 million into the economy of the state's South-East. The design and features of the Banksia Unit make it the benchmark in high-security prisoner accommodation. Importantly, the new unit includes a programs room, a service delivery room and a health facility, all incorporated down the spine of the building.

Whilst at the prison I also had the pleasure of presenting service awards to five correctional officers. Ten year medals were presented to Andrew Elliot and Robyn Jenkins. Twenty-year service medals were presented to Kym Grantham, Dennis Matthews and Craig Bowshire (who also received a 15-year national medal). I would also like to congratulate Shaun Barry, who was unable to attend the presentation of his 10-year service medal.

These recipients are real examples of dedication and commitment in our correctional system. I would also like to express my congratulations to Brenton 'BJ' Williams, the Port Augusta Prison general manager, Paul Robinson, John Case, and Bill Beggs, in addition to all the staff at Port Augusta, and in Adelaide, without whose input, cooperation and expertise the venture would not have been possible. It would not have been delivered on budget and ahead of schedule, as it was.

The investments made in our corrections system illustrate this government's commitment to both offender rehabilitation and community safety, a commitment which has resulted in this state reporting the lowest return to prison rate in the nation for the last four years.