Home Detention

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:42): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Correctional Services a question regarding home detention.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: The opposition has received information that a 23-year-old male was given leave recently in relation to his home detention provisions. That leave was then used to attend the recent fight, Mundine v Green, at Adelaide Oval on 3 February, and the said prisoner did not return to his home. My questions to the minister are:

1. Is this instance and circumstance true?

2. Does the minister find it acceptable that a home detention detainee would not return to their home after authorised leave and attend a fight?

3. Is the minister aware of any other recent instances where detainees have failed to return to their homes following authorised leave?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:42): I thank the Hon. Mr Stephens for his question. First things first: this government is appreciative of the bipartisan support that consistently has been provided by the opposition for the home detention legislation currently in place. Of course the home detention legislation that governs the mechanism by which home detention operates in South Australia did enjoy bipartisan support, and I acknowledge the contribution of the opposition in that context.

Regarding home detention generally, of course there are strict regimes in place in and around home detention. Home detention is not a right for prisoners: it is a privilege, it has to be earned. Where prisoners are afforded the opportunity to have home detention, whether by a court or otherwise, then it is important that they treat that as a privilege and comply with the appropriate conditions.

Where conditions are breached, it is certainly our expectation that, where those breaches occur, that prisoner be held to account accordingly. If the circumstances to which the Hon. Mr Stephens has referred did occur, I have no doubt that that prisoner will be punished accordingly.