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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-09-10 Daily Xml
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MAGILL TRAINING FACILITY

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:49): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question relating to the Magill Training Centre.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Given that the minister's responsibility for the status of women extends beyond ensuring that successful women are on government boards, I would like to raise the issue of females incarcerated in the Magill Training Centre. The Magill Training Centre is South Australia's only facility for housing female inmates under 18 years of age, some as young as 13. In contrast, male inmates have the opportunity to be accommodated in the better equipped Cavan Training Centre.

The Magill Training Centre has fallen into a state of disrepair, endangering staff and children. For example, asbestos is exposed throughout the building, the structure does not meet building code standards, and various facilities are considered so dangerous that they cannot be used for training or rehabilitation. The state of the Magill Training Centre has been criticised by the Youth Affairs Council of South Australia, Monsignor Cappo (Commissioner for Social Inclusion), Pam Simmons (Guardian for Children and Young People), Lynn Arnold (Anglicare SA), and Professor Freda Briggs.

Currently, the Magill facility has the capacity to hold eight females; however, the opposition has been advised that as of today there are nine females in the facility; that is, it is already overcrowded. We are also advised that a tenth female inmate is in hospital and may well return to the facility later today. That would mean that the female unit will be 20 per cent overcrowded. Clearly, there is a crisis for young women in the Magill facility today.

I ask the minister: does she support the policy of the government for long-term detention of young girls in facilities to the ongoing disadvantage of female inmates, compared with male inmates, and what action is the minister taking to overcome the crisis of caring for young girls at the Magill Training Centre?

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 thank the honourable member for his question which is, again, misguided. The member is aware, and has been here long enough to know that the—

The Hon. Carmel Zollo: And has visited.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: And has visited, I have been advised. He has been here long enough to know that matters pertaining to the Magill Training Centre are the responsibility and purview of the Minister for Families and Communities. I am happy to refer those aspects of the question that are relevant to her and bring back a response.

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