Prisoner Support and Treatment

The Hon. S.G. WADE (15:08): A supplementary question: in relation to the new facility at Yatala, is it intended that the enhanced facilities would reduce the need for transfers of prisoners to health facilities beyond the secure facilities? If so, has that been quantified?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:08): The first part of the answer to that question is yes. There is enormous benefit and value to be gained by treating prisoners on site rather than going through the rather expensive and inefficient process of transferring them from particularly Yatala as a high security environment to hospitals. There are a range of benefits in treating a patient on site. There are challenges attached to treating a prisoner or a patient on site as well, but certainly one of the benefits is a substantial cost of relocation.

Of course, there are always risks associated with transferring a prisoner, there are also risks of having a prisoner in a hospital environment which is not designed to have people in custody specifically, although there are facilities being looked at in that context. But the answer to that question is yes, that is one of the objectives of the new facility. In respect to benefits that have already been realised as a result of that, presumably in a cost context, I am happy to see if I can get that information from the department and share it with the honourable member.