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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-09-18 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES CHIEF EXECUTIVE

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:22): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: It is my great pleasure to announce to the house today the appointment of Mr David Brown as the new Chief Executive of the Department for Correctional Services. The office of Chief Executive has been vacant since August 2012. The former chief executive, Mr Peter Severin, was headhunted to the role of Commissioner of Corrective Services in New South Wales, which I am sure all members will agree is a real vote of confidence in the South Australia corrections system.

With almost two decades in correctional services, Mr Brown brings a wealth of experience, from his time as a custodial correctional officer to his leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. Mr Brown's appointment will ensure that the South Australian Department for Correctional Services continues to outperform other corrections systems around the nation. Mr Brown has been with the South Australian Department for Correctional Services since 2009, when he took up the role of executive director of custodial services. During his time in that position, Mr Brown has played a key role in the delivery of a number of programs within the department, including: the development of the Correctional Services Principles; the Shaping of Corrections Service Delivery Framework; the Pre-Release Employment Program, or PREOP; and the Sierra Young Offenders Program.

The PREOP and Sierra programs are exemplary of the department's commitment to giving our prisoners the best chance of rehabilitation. PREOP is a partnership between Port Augusta Prison and BHP Billiton that provides low security prisoners with the opportunity to develop skills and improve their chances to secure employment after their release. I recall being told of one participant of PREOP who had gained employment at Roxby Downs after his release. He said he had bought gifts for his children with money that he had earned for the first time in his life. These programs change lives and I thank Mr Brown for his role in them.

Prior to his appointment as executive director of custodial services, Mr Brown worked in the private sector with G4S. There, he was responsible for the management of a national contract for detention services with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Mr Brown has also had a great deal of practical, on-the-ground experience within prisons around Australia. Mr Brown has worked as both the general manager of the Maryborough Correctional Centre in Queensland and as the assistant general manager of the Acacia Prison in Western Australia. In addition, he has worked in a number of offender management and developmental roles within prisons.

Correctional services is an area which has the potential to create great change within our community. It is an area which helps to ensure community safety whilst also offering the opportunity for rehabilitation to those who need it. The South Australian correctional system has embraced this potential, leading the nation with Australia's lowest return-to-prison rate for the last four years, as well as the highest level of prisoner education of all mainland states. I look forward to working with Mr Brown to continue this great work and congratulate him on his appointment.

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