Page 2141 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 3 August 2021
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Clearly, it was the minister’s fault for forcing staff to rely on an antiquated system known to be flawed. An upgrade to this database was supposed to have been completed by mid-2018, but, of course, this government has failed to make that happen.
The next incident was more serious, placing corrections officers’ lives and the general public in danger. Media outlets as far away as Illinois and Sri Lanka reported it, and hundreds of social media users commented on it, making this government’s humiliating prison mismanagement truly global. Returning to the AMC from the Canberra Hospital, three corrections officers in a Camry were attacked by a much larger and heavier vehicle. Taking evasive action, the officers deviated from their route, pursued for the entire time. They were forced to run red lights and drive into oncoming traffic, but the sedan was repeatedly rammed like a rag doll, in the heart of our city. After a physical altercation between a corrections officer and the detainee, the detainee escaped. Photos taken afterwards showed the front bumper mostly detached from the vehicle, significant crumple damage to the right-hand side of the car, a shredded front tyre, a boot that could no longer close and a ruined rear bumper. Imagine riding in that vehicle when it was being rammed by a bigger vehicle!
Most Canberrans would be unfamiliar with prison policies, but online commentary overwhelmingly stated it was obvious that a Camry was not suitable for prisoner escorts. Corrections officers also thought that using a Camry was a bad idea. Unsurprisingly, the inspector had earlier found that the Camry was “unsuitable as a general use escort vehicle” and was confused as to “why an at-risk detainee could not be transported safely in a larger-seat capacity vehicle that would provide more room for the detainee and a safe distancing of staff”.
Use of the Camry as an escort vehicle for prisoners has been unanimously declared an irresponsible decision by the public, by corrections officers and by the inspector, yet the minister did not stop its usage after the inspector’s review. Once again Minister Gentleman failed to keep corrections officers safe on their job, putting their lives and the lives of community members in danger. His decision damns him. There is no-one else responsible for the continued use of the Camry. The recommendations and findings came out under his watch. This is not the fault of the previous minister, nor is it the fault of the corrections staff. Solely, it is the fault of the Minister for Corrections, Mick Gentleman. It is his fault.
Where is his responsibility? One could wonder: is there even any point in having the minister resign from his already abandoned post? His absenteeism indicates he has already abandoned the portfolio in spirit—and perhaps not only in spirit!
After assuming the corrections portfolio and insisting that his predecessor did not leave the portfolio in a mess, Minister Gentleman moved quickly to establish an oversight committee for the AMC to develop a “blueprint for change”. At the time, I expressed misgivings about this idea. I was concerned that it would add an additional layer of bureaucracy and slow improvements at the AMC even further. I was also concerned that the oversight committee would allow the minister to take a step back from the prison and adopt a hands-off approach. The minister’s recent absence in
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