Page 1133 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 25 March 2015
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The much-vaunted and highly complex Lithgow trial has had significant cross-jurisdictional support from state and territory governments of different political colour over those more than 10 years, because the issue of mobile phone use in prisons is of concern to all corrections ministers. The various corrections services around the country are working together to address the issue.
I can also provide the Assembly with information about the Lithgow trial. The trial at Lithgow may yield some learning for other jurisdictions, including the ACT, insofar as how corrective services nationally tackle the issue of mobile phones in prisons. I understand the trial concluded on 30 September 2014 but that the reporting and evaluation process is ongoing.
It is important to note that the use of jamming devices is illegal in Australia, and consequently the trial in Lithgow required an exemption under the Radiocommunications Act 1992 by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, otherwise known as ACMA. This would be required again for any additional trials held anywhere in the country.
As may be gathered from the more than 10-year process, the trial at Lithgow only occurred after a long and complicated process of submissions to ACMA, testing of equipment in controlled environments and consultation with stakeholders, particularly telecommunications carriers and the public in surrounding areas.
Telecommunications carriers have a number of regulatory obligations to provide services, particularly emergency call services. With respect to the decision by ACMA to permit a trial of a jamming device at Lithgow, they had to be cognisant of whether there would be any adverse impact on mobile phone signals external to the Lithgow Correctional Centre. Any risk to public safety through a lack of mobile phone service, particularly in the event of an emergency, would be unacceptable. With the AMC, these sorts of issues are particularly prevalent when we think about the fact that both the emergency services headquarters and the Snowy SouthCare helicopter headquarters are in close proximity. So issues of spillage from a jamming device are obviously very significant in that context.
I understand the technical aspects of a trial such as the one we have seen in Lithgow are quite complicated and that a radiocommunications private company was engaged by Corrective Services NSW to provide the technical advice and support to undertake the trial.
I anticipate that all of these issues will be explored in Corrective Services NSW’s report to ACMA. Corrective services ministers nationally will await the final outcome of this trial prior to considering trialling technology in their respective jurisdictions. I am further advised that ACMA is in receipt of the final report of the trial and is currently considering the findings.
I acknowledge there are some technologies available in Australian prisons which can be used to identify mobile phones, but I am advised that not all are reliable or suitable for prison use. I am assured that ACT Corrective Services are identifying possible
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