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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-10-19 Daily Xml
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Prisoner Support and Treatment

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:48): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment a question about the employment of former inmates.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: Within South Australia, it is reported that 23 per cent of Aboriginals are incarcerated in our state prison system and, amongst many other factors, a high unemployment rate is one of the main factors of the high rate of reoffending within the Indigenous community. The Minister for Correctional Services stated on ABC radio that the recidivism rate of South Australian prisoners is 46 per cent. To combat these figures, research has shown that finding employment will reduce the recidivism rate of ex-criminals. Deputy Chair of Business SA and member of the Reducing Reoffending independent advisory panel, Nikki Govan, said:

UK research suggested it was possible to cut reoffending rates by as much as half if ex-offenders could secure jobs after leaving prison.

It was confirmed that former inmates found that it is incredibly difficult to secure jobs and regain a meaningful and independent life after being released from prison. My questions to the minister are:

1. What strategies has the Minister for Employment put together to create employment opportunities for South Australian former inmates?

2. Has the minister been working with the Minister for Correctional Services in order to combat the 46 per cent recidivism rate in South Australia?

3. With 23 per cent of Aboriginals incarcerated in our state prison system and high unemployment seen as the main factor, what action plan has the minister put in place to address this high rate of reoffending within the Indigenous community?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:51): I thank the honourable member for her questions. I am not entirely sure of some of the figures that she has used but I am happy to answer the question generally, although some of that I will refer to the Minister for Correctional Services and I will see if there is anything more that might be added.

The honourable member would be aware, from some of the information the Minister for Correctional Services in this chamber has previously given to members in the chamber, that he has embarked on quite an involved process to reduce recidivism in South Australia. He has appointed a task force that will look at that and I know that one of the key things they are looking at is recidivism for Aboriginal South Australians and how to reduce the number of Aboriginal South Australians in the prison system.

I look forward to the work of that task force. I think it is important work to be undertaken and the honourable member is correct that finding employment is a factor that can help to reduce recidivism, so I can assure the member that I will be working closely with the Minister for Correctional Services to see if there is anything in my portfolios of employment but also in Aboriginal Affairs that we can do to assist that task force and help implement recommendations.

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