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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-04-29 Daily Xml
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Accommodation for Women

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:18): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services—the minister herself and/or the Minister for Housing Infrastructure—a question regarding accommodation for women who have left prison or are granted bail.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: Data released late last year by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that South Australia has the highest percentage of unsentenced female prisoners of any jurisdiction, with more than 60 per cent of its female population awaiting trial on remand. Since then, the Department for Correctional Services has released its Women's Framework and Action Plan 2025-30, subheaded as Community Pathways: Women's Strategies for Reducing Reoffending, wherein the state government lists 'Reduce the incarceration of women, particularly on remand' under its stated goals.

The Law Society calls attention to this issue within the organisation's latest Bulletin release, pointing to the state's chronic shortage of bail accommodation for women, particularly Indigenous women. Whilst the publication credits the state government with its support of Seeds of Affinity, a not-for-profit community organisation run by and for women with lived prison experience, it notes the need for additional funding to ensure Seeds' newly acquired 15-room premises is able to fulfil its purpose of housing women in crisis.

Until such funding is provided, the meagre four beds available at Catherine House, as welcome and necessary and appreciated as they are, are the only such accommodation for women released on bail. My questions to the minister are:

1. Can the minister provide an update on what, if any, initiatives the state government is taking to address a shortfall affecting female recidivism rates in this jurisdiction?

2. Is the government committed to additional funding for Seeds of Affinity or any other organisation committed to providing transitional housing as a means of providing relief to female prisoners remanded in custody due to a lack of accommodation options?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:20): I thank the member for her question. Work Ready, Release Ready is a program that the government has invested in heavily. It is a program that starts, as I understand it, when people are transitioning out of prison. It is not a matter of once you leave prison, then you get access to this program. My understanding is that this steps in months, if not almost a year, prior to someone exiting the prison system, to make sure that they can start that work in getting someone ready to be in the community

That can be a process of helping with CVs, getting them an understanding of what the interview process might look like and also to be thinking about what job opportunities are available to them. Work Ready, Release Ready is a fantastic program that the government has invested in heavily, and that is why we do see in South Australia the lowest reoffending rate, something that is a quite significant outcome.

That has come about because of the investments that came through the 10by20 strategy that was undertaken by the now Premier, but also now we have increased that to the 20by26 strategy in reducing reoffending in South Australia. You have mentioned Catherine House as a possibility for supported accommodation. OARS is also a great organisation that provides support for people exiting our prison system and the supports that are available to them in the community. I look forward to having further conversations with other organisations like Seeds.

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