PORT AUGUSTA PRISON

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER (15:16): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Correctional Services a question about the Port Augusta Prison indigenous unit.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER: Yesterday the minister told us that indigenous prisoners prefer doubling up, despite doctoral research which found that 77 per cent of Aboriginal offenders prefer single occupancy accommodation. On 23 September—before the riot—the minister advised the council that the government would be providing 12 beds for Aboriginal men at Port Augusta and that they will be available before the end of this year. As I understand it, the new facility has only five bedrooms, yet the minister has told us that it will house 12 prisoners. So there must be at least one room with a need to house three prisoners, and one room is described on the plan as a 'dormitory'.

I have been advised that neither the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement nor the Aboriginal Prisoners and Offenders Support Services have been consulted about the design of this new facility. Can the minister tell us what will be the maximum number of prisoners per room in this new facility, and can she tell us what consultation has occurred with the Aboriginal community as to its view about the appropriateness of this facility? Does she consider that it is an acceptable practice to design facilities for Aboriginal people without consulting them?

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Gambling, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:18): I thank the honourable member for her question. I have not seen the plans of the new beds that will be created at the Port Augusta unit. Clearly, the honourable member has just been provided with some plans. I will have to go back to the department and check the level of consultation that has occurred.

Mr President, some of the questions in this place in the past few days really have been quite disgraceful—quite pathetic. At one level they are complaining about—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: The department has a very strong Aboriginal unit within the department. Clearly, consultations occur at that level and, of course, arising out of the Aboriginal deaths in custody inquiry there is also a commitment to consult at that level when new initiatives are brought on line.

Clearly, those opposite are grasping at straws. We have had a major incident, and I advised this chamber of all the planned initiatives that we have in place in relation to the strategy—the 209 beds and the $35 million that was committed by this government in the last budget. The 12 Aboriginal beds are part of that commitment, as are beds at Mobilong and Cadell and, on my understanding, also at Mount Gambier. However, I do not have those numbers with me. Again, this government does have a strategy; those opposite clearly have none. I ask them to get over it and move on.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!