Page 3389 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 17 August 2011
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the processes, protocols and procedures that ACT Policing have put in place will ensure that this deployment is effective and that it is also a proportionate and modest response to the issues being faced by our police. I commend the report to the Assembly.
ACT public service—staffing
Debate resumed.
MR HANSON (Molonglo) (3.30): I commend Mr Seselja for bringing this important motion before the Assembly. The two elements of it that I particularly want to focus on are the extraordinary circumstances we saw with bullying at the Canberra Hospital and the attempts, indeed the successful attempts, by the Chief Minister and Minister for Health to bury that bullying case as deep as she could; and, secondly, the terrible behaviour in relation to Mr Doug Buchanan, who was the superintendent of the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
I will turn to that case first. Doug Buchanan was brought to the ACT to resolve some problems at the jail. He is an experienced corrections officer of 34 years and he was brought here to fix up problems. These problems were highlighted in the Hamburger report, which spoke about the problems that existed. It said:
That the lack of continuity and experience in the AMC leadership team during the first 12 months of operation … created a potential risk to the safety, security and efficient operation of the centre given the significant number of new inexperienced staff …
And it said:
That on 31st May 2010 ACT Corrective Services arranged with another jurisdiction to second a highly experienced officer …
The Hamburger report makes the point:
Strong leadership with a clear plan of action from this point on is essential for safety, security and effective detainee rehabilitation outcomes …
Hamburger, in his review, found that Mr Buchanan was doing exactly that. The report notes:
ACT Corrective Services say that since this appointment:
Staff morale has improved significantly
Sick leave has reduced
Sick leave management strategies are in place
Regular staff meetings are conducted
Additional staff training programs have been implemented
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