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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-10-29 Daily Xml
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PORT AUGUSTA PRISON

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:30): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Correctional Services a question relating to the Port Augusta indigenous unit.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Yesterday, in answer to a question on the same topic, the minister advised that consultations took place with traditional Aboriginal male prisoners at the Port Augusta Prison in relation to the Port Augusta indigenous unit. The minister referred to meetings with Aboriginal prisoners held every six months, at different prisons, to talk with Aboriginal prisoners about their concerns. I presume that the minister is referring to the PADIC (Prevention of Aboriginal Deaths in Custody) forum, which involves both Aboriginal prisoners and Aboriginal stakeholders. In response to my supplementary question, the minister implied that the forum had discussed the new indigenous unit.

A PADIC forum was last held at Port Augusta Prison on 22 May 2008. The minutes for that forum show that the department did not even raise the subject of the new Port Augusta indigenous unit at the forum. However, the prisoners did take the opportunity to raise issues, including funeral leave, and they also warned of impending trouble. Item 4.13, entitled 'Tensions in Bluebush', states:

A prisoner raised concerns regarding the level of tension in the Bluebush Unit. Prisoner claims this is due in part to the inappropriate manner in which prisoners are being spoken to, and that there is real concern that this matter will come to a head.

That was in May 2008. By October 2008, Bluebush Unit was engulfed in a riot. My questions are:

1. Given that the minister highlighted the role of the PADIC forum as a vehicle for Aboriginal consultation, can she explain why the forum was not consulted about the new indigenous unit?

2. Given that tensions in Bluebush Unit were raised with the department five months ago, what did the department do to reduce tensions and avoid the ensuing riot?

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Gambling, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:31): I thank the honourable member for his continuing questions in relation to the Aboriginal unit being constructed at Port Augusta for traditional Aboriginal men. I have already placed on record on a number of occasions (and particularly yesterday) an extensive list of consultations that occurred—and I am happy to go through them again—during the development of the design.

My advice is that this could go back not just this past year but, indeed, last year as well—back to 2007. I am told that, during the development of the design, consultation took place with the department's Aboriginal Services Unit, traditional Aboriginal male prisoners at the Port Augusta Prison (some of whom would be likely to occupy the premises), senior Aboriginal staff at the Port Augusta Prison, the Port Augusta Prison management team, staff from the department's Asset Services Branch, and the department's Director, Finance and Asset Services. I am also told that consultation was conducted in a culturally appropriate manner.

The honourable member clearly has some information from a meeting back in May, which I assume is not one of the meetings that I referred to, but may well be from the forum that was conducted every six weeks and chaired by the Chief Executive of the department or one of his delegates. Clearly, I do not have access to those minutes and the member must have some information supposedly leaked to him.

What I have already placed on the record demonstrates that the department has consulted widely and, more importantly, that what came out of that consultation indicated that the most important things to the Aboriginal prisoners included being able to see the Flinders Ranges and having a large veranda facing the Flinders Ranges and the outdoor areas. My advice is that they have been included in the construction of this unit. On top of that I also, again, outlined the number of Aboriginal staff we have within the department and the Aboriginal liaison officers who also support the department and the prisoners themselves.

In relation to what has happened at Port Augusta and why, again, I have placed on the record that there is a police inquiry being conducted, and all the prisoners involved in the riot are being interviewed. Those interviews will also be made available to the department for the investigation that it is undertaking. I have already placed on record that a senior investigation officer from SAPOL will also be provided to the department. Both inquiries have already commenced. I have also undertaken to bring back to the chamber the findings of the inquiry. If some systemic changes need to be made then, of course, they will be made.

Some construction has taken place at the Bluebush unit at Port Augusta, including an upgrade of the airconditioning system, the introduction of some double bunks, as well as the construction of a lift, from memory. So, there has been disruption but, when new construction is occurring, we try as much as possible to keep that disruption to a minimum. When prisoners are required to stay in the exercise yard—I understand that a session on the oval was cancelled on that day—clearly, they are going to be upset. However, as I have said before in this chamber, I will always put the interests and safety of our correctional services officers above the needs of the prisoners at any particular time.

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