Page 1296 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 5 April 2011

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Findings 14, 15 and 16 all look at the first year; look at the lack of continuity and experience—they had to bring people in from the outside to help them through that first year. Finding 17 says:

That the AMC is now at a critical point in its history. The AMC has negotiated its first year of operation without a disastrous incident. However, to date it has not delivered to the standard required by its ambitious vision and objectives.

It is not delivering. That is Keith Hamburger’s assessment of this minister and his AMC: “However, to date it has not delivered to the standard required by its ambitious vision and projects.” Go to simple things like rosters. Finding 18 says:

That during the first 12 months of AMC operation the staff rostering arrangements did not facilitate the efficient and effective delivery of services within the centre.

This minister could not even get the staff roster right. That is how badly this place is being run. Mr Hanson alluded to finding 21 and read it out:

That the current capacity of 300 beds leads to challenges in separating and segregating detainees which places constraints on the delivery of services to detainees and the management of the safety and security of the correctional centre.

A note to this finding says:

… steps have been taken to provide relief from overcrowding and new accommodation proposals are being developed.

This thing is only two years old and already we are looking at new accommodation proposals being developed. So not only is it not delivering; we actually now find that the government, through not delivering what they promised, a 374-bed facility, is now faced with having to develop new accommodation It reeks of Gungahlin Drive—we will build half a road and come back. Well, here we have got a 300-bed facility and now we are already coming back less than two years after its opening. It is interesting that in recommendation 3 on page 34, the report recommends:

That ACT Corrective Services expedite preparation of a case for consideration by the ACT Government for increased accommodation at the AMC that will allow for appropriate secure and safe placement and segregation of detainees within the facility …

If you read that, that would allow for appropriate, secure and safe placement. Therefore, we do not have appropriate security, we do not have safe placement and we do not have the safe segregation of detainees within the facility. What this government has built is not appropriate, not safe and not secure, by that simple recommendation.


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