Home Detention

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:31): Supplementary: how many home detention prisoners does the minister expect the Department for Correctional Services will be responsible for in 12 months' time; and how many additional staff will be required to cope with this increased number of home detention prisoners?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:31): I am able to advise the honourable member that 19 offenders have currently commenced court ordered home detention. I have been advised that the department has conducted an analysis to be able to provide a forecast for the number of people they do expect to enter the system on court ordered home detention. Naturally, of course, that is a forecast and cannot be necessarily relied upon as a statement of fact, but that work has been undertaken, and I am happy to take it on notice and try to inquire as to what those forecasts represent. I do not have that figure at hand, but I am more than happy to take that question on notice and get that back to the honourable member.