Page 653 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 20 May 1992
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of course, at prisoners' own expense; and that the education program has been cut completely. What action do you propose? What pressure can you bring to bear to rectify a situation that clearly penalises the relatives of these prisoners, especially those who live in the ACT, who are struggling to hold down a job during the week?
MR CONNOLLY: I thank Mr Moore for his question. Mr Moore's office advised my office this morning that he was interested in this matter, so we have had some inquiries made. The basis of the answer that I will provide to Mr Moore and the Assembly is information that was given to me by Mr Chivers, the director of Corrective Services here, following a phone call to the superintendent of Goulburn gaol. It is oral information that we obtained from the gaol late this morning.
As Mr Moore would be aware, the standard practice is that ACT prisoners in the New South Wales prison system receive the same entitlements as any other prisoners; and that has always been the case. We are looking at the guidelines of the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services, which I am advised have been unchanged for quite some time; but I do not have a precise date as to when that "quite some time" may have been.
The New South Wales guidelines provide for a minimum of one hour visit per week and a minimum of one six-minute phone call per week. Unit managers are able to grant an extension of visit durations and/or additional phone calls each week, depending on the prisoner's needs and conduct and other relevant circumstances. If the prisoner is unemployed within the Goulburn training centre, access to visits is restricted to Mondays and Fridays. However, unit managers do again have a discretion to approve weekend visits, again depending upon the prisoner's conduct and needs. There is continuing participation in education programs, which have not been curtailed.
I am advised that for some time those have been the New South Wales guidelines and they are applied. I am unaware whether a discretion was previously exercised in favour of individual prisoners and has been cut back, but I can investigate whether that was the case. Certainly, the guidelines remain the same. We are in the process of negotiating a new service agreement with the New South Wales department, and we will be trying to include general standards of prisoner care and entitlements in that new agreement.
Ms Follett: I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.
SUSPENSION OF STANDING AND TEMPORARY ORDERS
Precedence to Private Members' Business
Motion (by Mr Berry) agreed to, with the concurrence of an absolute majority:
That so much of standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent order of the day No. 2, private Members' business, relating to the Electricity and Water (Amendment) Bill 1992, being called on forthwith.
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