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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-05-25 Daily Xml
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PRISONS, CONTRABAND

Ms FOX (Bright) (15:05): My question is to the Minister for Correctional Services. Danger! Can the minister inform the house about the outcome of recent security operations undertaken at Mobilong and Yatala Labour Prison and what is being done to remove contraband from the prison system?

Mr PENGILLY: Point of order, Madam Speaker. Can I have the question again? I could not hear a word of it, I am afraid.

The SPEAKER: Yes. Could you stand a little bit closer to your microphone?

Ms FOX: Yes. Sorry; there was an accident involving some water, which I believe happened to the member for Finniss earlier on. You had a little accident with some water, didn't you? Yes. My question is to the Minister for Correctional Services. Can the minister inform the house about the outcome of recent security operations undertaken at Mobilong and Yatala Labour Prison, and what is being done to remove contraband from the system?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Gambling) (15:05): I would like to thank the honourable member for her question and her interest in contraband in prisons. While it is no surprise that prisoners continue to attempt to bring contraband in behind bars, this government will not tolerate it. The government and the Department for Correctional Services are committed to maintaining safe and secure prison systems.

On 20 April 2010, a major search operation was undertaken at Mobilong Prison. Operation Connie—a name which strikes fear and terror into prisoners across our prison system—was a joint operation involving the Correctional Services' Operations Security Unit, the Emergency Response Group and the intelligence unit as well as Australian Customs and the Police Corrections Section.

The prison was locked down and all prisoners, cells and common areas were thoroughly searched. The systematic operation not only involved officers and drug-detection dogs but utilised technologies such as X-ray machines and metal detectors. As a result of the operation, a number of items were located including tattooing equipment, razor blades, a homemade weapon, string line, a broken mirror, ceramic tools, a drug smoking implement and various prescribed medications.

On 10 May at Yatala Labour Prison, a targeted search called Operation Quality—another name that strikes fear and terror into our prisoners—was undertaken on a select group of prisoners and cells. Prison staff from the intelligence unit and Yatala prison security unit, in conjunction with police, spent more than four hours searching only 23 prisoners and their cells, acting on information and intelligence. It is important to note that this is the first time this type of operation was made.

The targets ranged from high-profile prisoners to gang members and associates of bikie gangs including Rebels, Finks and Hells Angels. Prisoners with a history of violence in custody were also involved. The aim was to find as much contraband as possible by catching prisoners by surprise. Neither I nor the chief executive were told about this in advance in terms of the timing.

What usually happens in a lockdown is that, when prisoners are not let out in the morning, they realise a search is going on and often prisoners do what they can to get rid of contraband. This search is different. This search quietly brings prisoners out after hours when they are already locked down. No-one knows it is happening; they are pulled out and searched.

Operation Quality was deliberately conducted after hours. A search party moved discreetly or stealthily from unit to unit, ensuring that prisoners were not aware that they were about to be searched. They were each taken to a separate location (which I cannot disclose) and, while they were searched, officers inspected their cells aided by search mirrors, hand-held metal detectors and cameras with cables to search vent holes and toilets.

Nine prisoners were found to be in possession of contraband that included a small amount of white powder and a bong pipe, white tablets, bong pipes and cones, white packaging, one bong pipe, another prisoner's methadone card, white tablets times three, white packages times two, a bong pipe and two white capsules, one syringe and white powder.

Operation Quality, which strikes fear and terror into our prisoners, built on our war on contraband. We will continue large-scale searches like Operation Connie in conjunction with smaller targeted raids against specific prisoners. The aim is to keep prisoners guessing. Not only are we removing contraband from the system, but we are preventing it from entering the system in the first place.

The department actively seeks to intercept the supply of drugs and other banned items into the prison. The use of CCTV and radar detection cameras on fence lines, in addition to proactive intelligence gathering, are making it more difficult than ever to smuggle contraband into our prisons. The department's comprehensive random—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The department's comprehensive random and targeted search program and the use of passive drug detection dogs means that it is also much harder for prisoners to keep any items they do manage to smuggle in. In 2008-09 over 21,000 prisoners were searched and, as a result of these searches, over 1,000 prohibited items were removed from the prison system. We know that prisoners are cunning and inventive and that every jurisdiction in the world has problems with contraband in prisons.

Ms Chapman: Not as smart as you.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I didn't dream up Catch Tim, so I'm not as smart as you. To combat this, our searches are intelligence driven and more focused than ever before.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I also didn't contradict my leader two days before an election.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: But my favourite part by the member for Bragg was on radio FIVEaa on election night, bragging that she got a bigger swing than the Leader of the Opposition. That was my favourite part by the member for Bragg. When asked, 'Who got a bigger swing?', well, of course, she did.

Mr VENNING: Point of order: relevance.

The SPEAKER: I uphold that point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Thank you, madam. Thank you for your protection.

The SPEAKER: No, I'm sorry; I upheld the point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: To combat this, our searches are intelligence driven and more focused than ever before. And how I miss the member for Finniss as shadow corrections minister. But I will read about updates on Facebook.

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