Correctional Services Department

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:43): Supplementary question arising out of the minister's answer: why is the minister unprepared to accept any level of responsibility for the failings of the department since he has become the minister?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:43): I have, I think, just stepped through rather thoroughly some of the challenges that exist.

The Hon. R.I. Lucas interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Allow the minister to give his answer. We don't need you assisting him; you have already asked the question. You will now answer, minister.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I have already stepped through the Hon. Mr Lucas's questions regarding the challenges that exist within the Department for Correctional Services' environment. Mistakes will happen from time to time, and I certainly will not be providing any guarantees to the Hon. Mr Lucas, or anybody else for that matter, on whether or not any other issues won't occur in this high-risk environment into the future.

What I can assure the South Australian public, and indeed this chamber, is that the department and I are doing everything we can to make sure that we continue to get that balance right, between managing a risky environment versus the challenge of trying to make sure that the release of people from custody, which is the overwhelming majority of prisoners, is done so in a smooth way to maximise the likelihood of that person not reoffending, because what matters most here is maximising safety to the community. That is the most important objective for myself and this government.

The Hon. R.I. Lucas interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, take a seat, please. The Hon. Mr Lucas, I would draw your attention to the fact that I have already asked you to desist from interrupting while the minister—

The Hon. R.I. Lucas: Throw me out, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: It is the height of rudeness. I will not have any hesitation of naming you if I have to. I am putting right now: desist and allow the minister to finish his answer.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I will simply conclude by saying that we will not resile from the principal objective of the government of keeping the community safe. Maximising community safety is our number one priority and that means reducing reoffending, which is what this government is all about in the area of corrections.