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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-03-04 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

PRISONS


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) (14:03): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Members may recall that last year the Treasurer announced a two year deferral of the commissioning of the new prisons in Murray Bridge. Along with the announcement came a commitment from the Rann government to spend $30 million on the construction of additional cell blocks at existing regional prisons for up to 160 beds. This spending commitment was made in addition to the $35 million announced in last year's budget for an additional 209 beds across the prison system. This brings the total to 369 additional prison beds on line before the new prison opens.

I am pleased to announce a significant expansion to our existing regional prisons in the lead-up to the new prisons being operational in 2013. Yesterday it was announced that $18 million will be spent to expand the Mount Gambier Prison by 116 beds.

Today I announce a further $15 million for an 80 bed expansion of Port Augusta Prison and $4 million for additional beds at Port Lincoln Prison. This is a total of $37 million in capital infrastructure investment in our regions, offering significant employment opportunities and a revenue boost. All this is part of the statewide expansion strategy that will ensure that our prisons and our prison system are well equipped to meet the demand now and into the future. There has been an unprecedented growth in prison numbers since the Rann government came into office, and as of today 1,942 prisoners are in the system compared with 1,479 in July 2002.

This growth is a direct result of this government's law and order agenda. We are taking violent and repeat offenders off the streets. The courts are sending offenders to prison longer—significantly longer in fact than any other state in Australia. The average sentence for an offender in South Australia has climbed to 74.1 months compared to 58.7 months in 2002. That, too, is a direct result of our law and order reforms. This government makes no apologies when it comes to its tough stance on law and order. The Mount Gambier Prison expansion includes medium and low security facilities that will be accommodating around 36 prisoners. An 80 bed medium security cell block will also be constructed.

The low-security facility is expected to be completed by November 2010 and a cell block is expected to be commissioned by November 2011. The Port Augusta expansion will see an 80 bed high-medium security cell block and supporting infrastructure within the existing prison, and the Port Lincoln expansion includes up to 36 low bed security accommodation adjacent to the existing prison complex. There will be no change to the prisoner profile at any of the three prisons.

I assure the house and the people of South Australia that this government remains committed to meeting the demand increase in our prisons in the lead-up to a new prison which will be operational in 2013. This is responsible justice which directly contributes to enhanced community safety.

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