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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-12-02 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

Bail Accommodation Support Program

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:07): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Earlier this afternoon I announced that Anglicare SA has won the tender to deliver a 30 bed Bail Accommodation Support Program. The Bail Accommodation Support Program, or BASP, will provide short-term accommodation as an alternative to custody for alleged offenders granted bail by the court who would otherwise lack a suitable place to stay.

The availability of accommodation for alleged offenders appearing before a court can be the determining factor between being remanded in custody or remaining in the community on bail. Therefore, the BASP provides alleged offenders the opportunity to maintain links to family, employment, education and government services while awaiting the outcome of their court matter.

The program will be supervised by Anglicare and the Department for Correctional Services. The building will be staffed around the clock, and participants of the program will be expected to meet their court-imposed bail conditions and follow strict house rules, such as curfews.

The program is based on proven and successful models from the United Kingdom, and similar models with the accompanying support programs that have already been implemented and working successfully in New South Wales and Victoria.

Anglicare SA won the tender for this project, and I am confident that, with its long and proud history of service provision, it will manage the program effectively. The program is a great example of government partnering with the non-government sector to provide a valuable and cost-effective community service.

The facility will be located in Dale Street, Port Adelaide, with construction being undertaken by Badge, a South Australian-owned company. The project is scheduled to be completed in early to mid-2017. The program marks an exciting time for justice sector reform in South Australia, signifying a rethink on how we manage alleged offenders released by the court on bail and how we provide viable alternatives to custody.

While this initiative supports alleged offenders remaining in the community, along with other alternatives to custody, I can assure this place and the broader community that those offenders, alleged or otherwise, who present a risk to society will continue to be remanded in custody.

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