Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-06-02 Daily Xml

Contents

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister, representing the Minister for Correctional Services, a question about confidentiality practices within correctional services.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON: As members may be aware from the article appearing in the Sunday Mail of 23 May 2009, I recently travelled to Port Lincoln prison to visit an inmate by the name of Tony Grosser. As was detailed in the article, the intention of my visit was to focus on Mr Grosser's efforts of self-representation in his 10-month retrial and the difficulties he encountered in this regard. Given the contentious nature of Mr Grosser's many allegations of impropriety and corruption, I made all efforts to be as discreet as possible regarding my intentions to visit him in an effort to allay any concerns that I was going to launch a 'Free Tony Grosser' campaign.

To my surprise, Mr Nigel Hunt from the Sunday Mail contacted me within the week prior to my trip and requested a meeting to discuss Mr Grosser. At this meeting Mr Hunt not only was aware of my intention to visit Mr Grosser but also informed me of the date I intended to do so. My questions of the minister are:

1. Does any person within corrections have the authority to disclose to the media visiting arrangements of a member of parliament with an inmate?

2. Will the minister give an undertaking to discover who within corrections leaked the details of my impending trip and why and what disciplinary action could be taken?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (14:51): I will refer the honourable member's question to the Minister for Correctional Services in another place and bring back a response.