ADELAIDE WOMEN'S PRISON

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:23): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Leader of the Government representing the Minister for Correctional Services a question about procedures within our prison system.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Members would be aware that the Deputy State Coroner has recently found that prison staff were unprofessional and did not follow procedures when a woman died after suffering an epileptic fit in her cell at the Adelaide women's prison in 2008. The inquest heard she had been kept in custody for weeks on a minor charge, which the Deputy State Coroner labelled 'inhumane'. The woman was kept in isolation because of her behaviour, and her cell became filthy because she had smeared faeces on the walls.

At one point her cell was hosed down while she was still inside, which the Deputy State Coroner said was lamentable and unprofessional. The inquest heard staff waited for more than 10 minutes before entering her cell, after seeing her epileptic fit on security cameras. The Deputy Coroner recommended that procedures are amended to ensure that this type of situation does not happen again. My questions are:

1. Does the minister accept that there have been a number of complaints about practices and procedures not being followed within the Department for Correctional Services?

2. Can the minister assure the parliament that this set of circumstances could not happen today?

3. Does the minister agree that psychiatric services in corrections are woefully underfunded?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (15:25): I am happy to refer that question to my colleague in the House of Assembly and bring back a reply.