Ministerial Statement

Morrison, Mr W.F.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS (Cheltenham—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (14:03): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS: Pursuant to section 25(5)(a) of the Coroners Act, I hereby table the report from the Department for Correctional Services in response to the coronial inquest following the death in custody of Wayne Fella Morrison.

Mr Morrison, sadly, passed away in the Royal Adelaide Hospital on 26 September 2016 following an incident at the Yatala Labour Prison on 23 September 2016. The Coroner's inquest commenced on 27 August 2018, and on 12 May 2023 the Deputy Coroner handed down her findings. I thank the Deputy Coroner for all the work involved in what was a complex and sensitive inquest.

While DCS and the government have previously publicly acknowledged the pain and the grief experienced by the family of Mr Morrison, I use this further opportunity to again provide my deepest sympathies. DCS has undertaken an extensive level of evaluation following both internal investigations and external scrutiny. Some of the important work completed includes legislative reform in relation to the management of DCS officers and employees, the installation of CCTV in prisoner transfer vans, enhancements to staff training and the admissions and prisoner identification processes.

As minister, I have also engaged Mr Peter Severin, an international leader in this field, to conduct a desktop review of the department's response with respect to the specific recommendations made by the Deputy State Coroner. Mr Severin has an extensive background in both corrections operations and prison management. But this statement is also an opportunity to speak to my ongoing commitment, and that of the Malinauskas government, to address the over-representation of Aboriginal people in our justice system. This includes our commitment to the national Closing the Gap target of a reduction by at least 15 per cent by 2031.

Reflective of this commitment is our $11.181 million announcement last year to implement Yalakiana Tappa, an Aboriginal community-led initiative that is specifically targeted on reducing rates of Aboriginal incarceration. Yalakiana Tappa is just one program from the suite of Closing the Gap initiatives currently being led by DCS.

I close by saying I am assured that this incident was treated with the utmost of importance, and I am grateful for the thorough and proactive response from DCS. I am also confident DCS continues to take every reasonable measure to identify those prisoners most at risk and, wherever possible, prevent deaths in custody.