Page 1299 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 5 April 2011
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prisoners, we see drugs getting in easily, because this government has not bothered to actually do the work to try to keep them out. We were told that everyone was screened when they came in. That was not true. We were given false information, we were given untruths about screening. Now we are seeing the impacts of that, and the impacts are that, as a result of not bothering to do the work, drugs are able to get in easily and, despite virtually spending more than any other government on a prison of this size, the people of the ACT are not getting the outcomes.
So this report, which will be going through in detail, even on a quick reading, shows that the prison has already run out of room and, very concerningly, it shows that at the moment there are serious risks to the safety of staff and detainees. That is not something that this government should be proud of. That is not something that this government should be skating over and skimming over and pretending is not a problem and pretending does not exist. It is a serious problem. We have now had report after report that this prison is not being managed effectively. It has not been managed effectively from the false opening right through to now, and the people of the ACT are not getting value for money for their very significant investment in this prison facility.
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella) (11.06): The Attorney-General wishes to close the debate, Madam Assistant Speaker, and I did rise last time but only your left eye was working. This is a signature moment in the development of the AMC and this is in fact the culmination of the delivery of a promise that was made by this government when the facility was opened. It was to examine the processes and procedures, warts and all, in that facility so that we can actually refine it and learn from it.
Mr Coe: There should be a gym. Where is the gymnasium?
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Le Couteur): Mr Coe, please be quiet.
MR HARGREAVES: Those opposite will troll through this report and find every piece of negative comment within it and try to capitalise on it. That is to be expected.
Mr Smyth: You don’t have to troll very far.
MR HARGREAVES: And Mr Smyth mumbles underneath his breath about these sorts of things, just confirming the view that I have that they are not regarding this report in the way in which it should be regarded. They have conveniently left out some of the positive statements that the review has actually delivered. Mr Hanson interjected into Mr Smyth’s speech that there have been serious incidents at the AMC—no disasters but serious incidents. That, in fact, runs contrary to the comment on page 25 of the report:
No serious incidents such as deaths in custody (apart from one by natural causes), riots, fires and major infrastructure failure …
“No serious incidents,” it says here. You just wonder whether or not those opposite actually make it up, because they do not let the facts get in the way of a good story. I notice that the team also suggested:
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