Prison Communication

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:25): Further supplementary: does that include considering access to services pre-sentence, given that inmates do not qualify before sentencing for access to those services?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:25): The member touches on a very interesting topic. This is something that is being discussed across the nation. I think it is probably a matter that is a challenge around the world in regard to those services that are available prior to someone's sentencing.

The issue of remand is probably one of the most discussed topics we have at the moment, and it is something that I have been really interested in since starting in this role. I have established the cross-government remand group to further these discussions: what can we be doing differently? We have a high remand population and what services are appropriate for someone who hasn't yet been through the courts and been found guilty?

Something that has been proposed to me in the sense of someone undertaking those rehabilitation programs when they haven't yet been found guilty is seen as a sign of guilt is how it has been explained to me. Whether there are options that could be provided that are outside of other rehabilitation, such as life skills, or other general rehabilitation programs that could be looked at, again, I am happy to take on feedback.

Just recently last week, we had a stakeholder group where we brought together NGOs from across the sector that do provide not only these rehabilitation support services but services throughout remand within the prison and once people are exiting our prison system. That NGO group and discussions that went for half the day was an incredible experience where we brought government representatives along to hear firsthand what NGOs are experiencing.

I have also had the opportunity to sit in our prisons—with 20 women in our women's prison and over 20 men in our men's prison—to hear what that experience is for them. I am very much wanting to hear what we can do differently. We have tried to work across government. We are not working in a silo. We know this is more than an issue of corrections, that we have to be looking at what we are doing in housing and all those other areas as well. We are looking at that closely and finding out what supports could be provided in the system.