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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-09-27 Daily Xml
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Yatala Labour Prison Incident

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:20): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I can advise the council that, at approximately 11.30am on 23 September, there was a critical incident at Yatala Labour Prison involving an alleged assault on correctional staff and resulting in the unplanned use of force to bring a prisoner under control. In the course of that incident, a medical emergency ensued. Corrections and health staff provided immediate first aid and continued this until the South Australian Ambulance Service arrived. The prisoner was subsequently transported to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a serious condition.

Regrettably, at 3.47am yesterday, 26 September, the prisoner passed away. Any death in custody is deeply concerning, and yesterday morning I reached out, through the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement, to personally offer my condolences to the family of the deceased during what is obviously a difficult time. My thoughts also go to the correctional officers and prison health staff, including the doctor who was immediately on the scene responding to the medical emergency and attempting to resuscitate the prisoner. They also go to the five correctional officers who were injured during the incident. All five were treated in hospital, with two officers (one male and one female) sustaining facial fractures.

SAPOL, with the full cooperation of the correctional services department, is currently investigating the incident and, in accordance with the Coroners Act 2003, the death will also be subject to a Coroner's inquiry. I have sought assurance from the Department for Correctional Services that it will do everything in its power to cooperate with the SAPOL investigation that is currently underway. The officers involved in the incident will require significant scrutiny around this incident—this is normal and appropriate.

SAPOL is committing substantial resources to this investigation to determine exactly what took place, and I have full confidence in the integrity of their investigation. Until this investigation is complete, I cannot comment further on the details of the incident. I will endeavour to report back to the parliament to update the chamber on any further developments related to the investigation when it is practical for me to do so.

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