Correctional Services Officers

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:34): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services. Will the minister inform the council about the most recent group of correctional officers to graduate?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:34): I thank the honourable member for his question. I am very pleased to inform the council that recently we had a record intake of 32 correctional officers graduate in the first graduation of the year and the largest in our state's history. One of the most impressive aspects of the Department for Correctional Services, I have noticed since becoming minister, is the dedication and commitment which staff show towards making South Australia a safer place to live by improving community safety and reducing reoffending rates.

The recent group of graduates has a diverse range of experiences, with many making the choice to change career paths to work in DCS. Amongst the cohort is a former lawyer, customer services managers, a paralegal assistant, an Aboriginal liaison officer, and a storeperson. Graduates also came from careers in the Australian Defence Force, security, immigration detention, mental health and disability supports, and administration. I understand the oldest graduate is 58 and the youngest is 20. This demonstrates the broad appeal that a career in Corrections holds, no matter which point you are at in your life and career journey.

One of the graduates, Bruno, came a long way to be here. Bruno and his wife are from Brazil, where they were lawyers. Embarking on an adventure to explore the world, they landed in Melbourne where they did a variety of jobs, from cleaning the Melbourne Ferris wheel to working at the Crown Casino at night while studying English during the day. Bruno then trained as a chef and they moved to regional Victoria and opened an award-winning restaurant.

Luckily for us, Bruno and his wife then moved to Port Lincoln where he became a sheriff's officer—and the rest is history. Bruno is now a correctional officer at Port Lincoln Prison and has no regrets about his transition from courts to Corrections, enjoying the challenge that this new role brings and the opportunity to help prisoners rehabilitate and move back into their communities.

Correctional officers make a difference to the lives of our community by helping to make it safer. They make a difference to the lives of victims of crime by ensuring the safety and security of our prisons. Most importantly, on the very frontlines of the justice system, correctional officers make a difference to the lives of prisoners. They play a vital role in supporting prisoners' rehabilitation efforts to reduce the risk of reoffending on return to the community.

Correctional officers help prepare prisoners for their release to the community by providing them with the skills, confidence and desire to stay in the community. This government has set a target to reduce reoffending by 20 per cent by 2026, a goal which we set after achieving a reduction in the rate of reoffending by 10 per cent by the year 2020. We also have the lowest rate of reoffending in the country. Each of our recent graduates will contribute to this reduction in reoffending and, as a result, make South Australia a safer place to live.

I am very proud that this group also graduate with a new knowledge in autism. I had the privilege of attending a session of autism awareness training these officers received. We know that autistic people continue to be over-represented in the criminal justice system, whether that be experiences with police, the courts or in the correctional services. The training these officers receive aims to increase knowledge of what autism is and give insight into why prisoners might be reacting to their surroundings in a particular way.

This training was provided by the Office for Autism and the training also delivers on the department's correctional services commitment to the state's first Autism Inclusion Charter and making South Australia an inclusive state.

I wish all graduates the very best in their new career and wish them well for their first National Corrections Day, which is tomorrow, Friday 16 May. I look forward to meeting our next intake, which I am advised is even bigger, with 35 officers due to graduate in July this year.