Cadell Dairy

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Will the minister inform the council about her recent visit to the Cadell dairy?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:59): I thank the honourable member for her question. Since taking on this role, I have been very keen to get out and about and see firsthand the work our agencies are doing to keep our communities safe. On Saturday, I travelled to Cadell Training Centre. As members would know, Cadell is a low-security prison, which focuses on rehabilitation of prisoners, and equips prisoners with practical skills they can use and utilise outside of prison.

Cadell is a working farm, producing olives and citrus, and provides milk and cream to South Australian businesses. Construction of the new David Oates Cadell dairy was completed, I understand, last year with a $12 million state-of-the-art facility replacing the original dairy from 1960. It incorporated the full process of dairy production from paddock to gate, being both a dairy and a production facility in one complex.

I understand the dairy has approximately 290 cattle or, as the community at Cadell like to call them, the ladies, and 24 men work to milk approximately 110 cows, morning and afternoon, and producing almost 2,000 litres of milk a day. It was incredible to meet some of the team, and to see the pride they take in their work. I am grateful to Aaron for being an excellent tour guide, and for explaining how the transition from the old dairy to the new facilities has completely changed how they work. I am advised the dairy supplies milk and cream to Adelaide Women's Prison, Mobilong Prison and Port Augusta Prison.

The upgraded complex ensures a more streamlined and efficient dairy production, as well as future growth opportunities for prisoners' training and education. Being able to work in the dairy and learn new skills improves confidence and brings a new sense of purpose and builds self-discipline in prisoners who work these shifts. They are able to manage ongoing responsibilities, such as quality assurance and animal welfare, and it also enhances their literacy skills.

In relation to the construction of the dairy, I understand 18 prisoners worked alongside the main building contractor to construct it, and 9,800 prisoner working hours were used to complete the project. The prisoners involved worked toward a Certificate II in Construction Pathways, and I understand utilised these skills to learn in the classroom and a live building site. They were engaged in a wide range of building-related activities, including demolition, painting, plastering, and landscaping—all skills that will serve them upon release, and aid them in gaining future employment opportunities.

This government is committed to improving prisoner rehabilitation and making South Australia a safer place to live by improving community safety and aiming to reduce reoffending rates. The training on offer at Cadell is part of the Work Ready Release Ready program, to which this government has committed an additional $6.3 million, I believe, to expand this program.

The Report on Government Services released yesterday shows that South Australia is leading the nation with the lowest rate of repeat offending in the country. I understand in the last financial year the recidivism rate fell 1 per cent to 35.8 per cent compared to the national average of 52.5 per cent, with almost half of the DCS prisoners engaged in education and training, nearly double the national rate. I understand nearly 85 per cent engaged in job-ready activities.