Adelaide Remand Centre

Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (16:05): My question is again to the Minister for Correctional Services. Is the minister satisfied with the performance of Serco in their running of the Adelaide Remand Centre?

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (16:05): I thank the honourable member for the question. Obviously, the member for Elizabeth knows the state that the former Labor government after 16 long years—long years—how they—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: That's right.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Elizabeth has asked the question. He will cease interjecting. The minister for Correctional Services has the call.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: Since coming into government, what we have done is we have made a number of sweeping reforms to our prison system, and that includes the biggest capital investment in the system in a generation.

Mr Brown: Meanwhile private prisoners are escaping.

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is warned for a second time.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: Who said 'rack 'em, pack 'em and stack 'em'? Who said that? Who was that? Our prison officer staff do a fantastic job. We have the lowest rate of recidivism in the nation, and I would have thought there was some bipartisanship on this. I know that there are members opposite who worked hard in this portfolio.

Mr Picton: Not on privatisation.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: The member for Kaurna says 'not on privatisation', but what happened in 2017 in regard to the Mount Gambier prison? What happened?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: Do you know who signed the contract? They are clearly not talking.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: They are clearly not talking. We are getting on with the job. We know this is a serious matter. As I said, I don't want to play the politics on this matter. We are going to get to the bottom of it, but our priority at the moment is making sure—

Mr Malinauskas: It's not playing politics.

The SPEAKER: The leader will cease interjecting.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: —that we locate this individual and bring them back into custody.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the member for Elizabeth, I warn the member for Lee and I call to order the member for Badcoe.