HANSARD
SITTING CALENDAR
SEARCH
LIVE BROADCAST
Hansard Dynamic Member Index
House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-03-05 Daily Xml
Contents
Pdf Xml

VLASSAKIS, JAMES

The SPEAKER: The member for Heysen.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen) (14:51): No; this time I am most pleased to have a question for the Minister for Correctional Services. What special arrangements have been made to accommodate the reported wedding of serial killer James Vlassakis, and what visiting rights has he been allowed during the period of his relationship with the woman who claims she will be marrying Vlassakis in a prison ceremony? An Adelaide woman has told a national magazine that she plans to marry Snowtown killer James Vlassakis on 2 September. Vlassakis pleaded guilty to four of the Snowtown murders and was gaoled for life, with a non-parole period of 26 years.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Gambling, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:52): I can inform the honourable member that I knew this question was coming; her colleagues like to talk. I would like to say that while this government is in place there will be no conjugal visits allowed at any of our prisons. I can also inform the house that the department will not allow Mr Vlassakis to marry. Mr Vlassakis is a high security prisoner and it is a policy of corrections that only low security prisoners, on rare occasions, be permitted to marry. I am advised that Mr Vlassakis has not made any request of the department to marry; indeed, the government is not even sure whether the claim that the marriage is to take place is legitimate.

Having been just recently married myself I can say that I take marriage very seriously. I believe it is a beautiful institution, and I do not think the families of the victims in the 'bodies in the barrel' case would appreciate seeing a hard and ruthless criminal such as Mr Vlassakis being married in a beautiful ceremony. It will not happen on my watch.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS
MEMBERS
GET INVOLVED
ABOUT PARLIAMENT
VISIT
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
CONTACT