Page 5480 - Week 14 - Thursday, 30 November 2017

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MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong—Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, Minister for Justice, Consumer Affairs and Road Safety, Minister for Corrections and Minister for Mental Health) (6.16): The government will not be supporting Mrs Jones’s amendment. The bill does provide for the appointment of an inspector of correctional services by the executive for a period of five years. The person appointed must be selected following an open and accountable selection process and possess the experience and expertise necessary to exercise the inspector’s function. These requirements are consistent with equivalent statutory authorities in the ACT, rule 55 of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, adopted in 1955, and principle 29 of the United Nations Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention.

Going to the first of those points, equivalent statutory authorities in the ACT, I do note Mrs Jones’s comments, but I can inform the Assembly that the appointment process that has been identified for the inspector of correctional services is the same as that for the Human Rights Commissioner, the Victims of Crime Commissioner, the Health Services Commissioner, the Children and Young People Commissioner and the Public Advocate, and I think there is a general acceptance that those officers have no constraints on their independence. They have extensive powers. I do not think anybody is suggesting that they do not have the independence they need. This is a standard appointment process that has worked well for those officers. With the breadth of powers that are contained in this legislation, I believe that this office will have the integrity and the independence that are needed to fulfil the role it is being asked to do.

MRS JONES (Murrumbidgee) (6.18): I am disappointed that the government is not going to support this, because it is a genuine attempt to assist in making sure that this body is able to do its role. I do not make any assertions about any mal-intent, but simply that this is a government which has had a number of problems in this area. We want this body to work really well, and I am disappointed that this fairly simple amendment will not be supported.

Question put:

That the amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question resolved in the negative.

Amendment negatived.

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