Page 5301 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 29 November 2017
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As you can see, there is a long list of failings, problems and concerns at the Alexander Maconochie Centre, and the government cannot rest until they are addressed. I am calling on the government and the minister to take action to address this long list of matters. I am calling on the minister to conduct a full review of policies and procedures, particularly pertaining to the transport, accommodation and supervision of inmates who receive health care outside of the AMC. It is not good enough that an inmate escaped from the hospital in July, and it is extremely problematic that another inmate escaped from the same place only three weeks later. Clearly there are faults in the system. The people of Canberra need to know what the faults are, what the government is going to do about them and when.
I also call on the minister to advise the Assembly in the first sitting of 2018 of the total cost to taxpayers of the search, apprehension and litigation of the two inmates who escaped. This breakdown in the system created a lot of pressure on our police to find and capture the escapees—like they do not have enough to do—as well as possibly put the community at risk. It caused grave concern, given people were advised not to approach the detainees. That sort of thing leaves people worried in Canberra; they worry that their government is not on top of these things. There is also the cost to the courts and the legal system in the litigation of these two inmates, and all of this cost because we did not have a proper system for managing them in the hospital. The people of Canberra should know how much the minister and these failings are costing them.
The minister has also failed to address detainee boredom, although there has been a beginning to this. It was noted at page 12 of Philip Moss’s review, So Much Sadness in Our Lives, that detainees report being bored while in custody:
Rather than the originally intended 30 hours per week, detainees told the Inquiry that they would have up to 1 to 2 hours of programs, education or employment a week. The Inquiry notes that the lack of a structured day inevitably leads to boredom, which invites the possibility and added risk of detainees using illegal drugs.
So there you have it. No need to take it from me; take it from the detainees in the AMC. At present there is barely a requirement for detainees to get out of bed, let alone go to work. In answer to question on notice 529, the minister advised that approximately 41 per cent of males and 31 per cent of females were employed at the AMC. This means that 59 per cent of men and 69 per cent of women are not employed in the prison. I am hoping those numbers have changed, and I am looking forward to hearing some more.
No wonder there are so many problems. It is important that detainees continue to develop a personal routine, a better sense of self-worth and reward for effort. This may mean that at least some may go on to live more positive and productive lives upon their release. If the Canberra community were aware that the majority of our prisoners were not engaged in work or study, they would be surprised; they might even be furious. The AMC is not meant to be a motel where people lounge around all day with no obligation to do work. A lack of daily routine only achieves boredom and the risk that detainees will get up to dangerous behaviours. You would think that would be a basic part of running a prison.
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