Correctional Services Officers

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): Supplementary: it relates to the substance of my question, which was really not about the contraband and cannabis but the relationship between the female officer and the prisoner. It is my understanding, and the minister might like to confirm this, that the prisoner has been shifted to Yatala and that the female officer has been stood down. My question again is: has the prison officer been suspended, with or without pay, and, if so, will any charges be laid, or what disciplinary action will be taken against that particular officer?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:26): Mr President, let me attempt to answer that component of the honourable member's question. My advice is that the officer—and presumably we are talking about the same event—has been stood down pending the investigation.

I think what is important here is that there is now an investigation underway, and we can't pre-empt the outcome of that investigation. There are a number of agencies or bodies that have the capacity to conduct investigations within prisons. Obviously, the Ombudsman has that capacity, and we have seen from time to time Ombudsman reports in respect of incidents or areas within the prison system. I do not think that would be a relevant authority in this particular instance.

The other ones, of course, are DCS, which has internal investigative capacities, and SAPOL, which also has a specialised corrections unit themselves. SAPOL has a suite of resources that are specifically allocated in a corrections context to be able to conduct investigations. Of course, another agency that has the capacity to conduct investigations in and around corrections is the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption.

Where there are investigations underway, obviously it would not be appropriate to comment on those as those investigations run their course, but I can say that I have been advised that in respect of the incident that I believe the Hon. Mr Ridgway is talking about, the officer has been stood down pending that investigation.