Page 485 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 21 February 2018
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In 2015, ACT corrections proactively commenced a cashless system for detainees. In analysing the project, which was aimed at reducing risk and improving efficiencies, an anomaly in the detainee trust fund was identified. Financial software supporting the trust account was upgraded and new financial processes were introduced. The anomaly was largely due to debts that detainees had incurred since the opening of the AMC and included items such as fines, financial advances for shop items, tobacco advances and phone credit advances.
The identification of the anomaly and the subsequent actions taken demonstrate a willingness to be proactive and to provide greater certainty to government that detainees cannot spend money prior to it clearing in their bank account. I am pleased to assure the Assembly that the external auditors, KPMG, found that there was no clear evidence of fraud.
Further, when the trust account fraud risk assessment was presented to the JACS audit and performance improvement committee in September 2017, the committee was satisfied that ACT Corrective Services had put in place strong controls to mitigate the risks identified in the original report. This is another example of both my and ACT Corrective Services’ commitment to proactively dealing with issues that arise. That work was all done before either Mrs Jones or the Canberra Times raised concerns about it.
Issues raised in this motion are not unique to the AMC. These challenges are faced by corrections agencies across Australian jurisdictions and internationally in the complex and challenging environment of correctional services. I know that my colleague just across the border, the Liberal Minister for Corrections in New South Wales, has recently faced similar issues and is working proactively to deal with them.
Intercepting prohibited or contraband items is one of our most challenging functions. That is why I announced an additional drug detector dog at the AMC in November 2017 and that is why additional funding has been provided to enhance security and intelligence in the AMC.
ACT Corrective Services already employs a range of security measures to ensure the safety and security of the AMC. This includes measures to search visitors, staff, contractors, and their belongings, entering the AMC using X-ray machines, body scanners, itemiser tests, metal and mobile phone detectors, a canine unit and physical searches of vehicles.
Once again I reiterate that we can never entirely predict or account for human behaviour in any environment, let alone in a prison environment. By collocating hundreds of people who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law it is inevitable that incidents will occur. It is inevitable that conflicts between detainees will arise. It is inevitable that human error is something we cannot always prevent. Our job is to put in place the best systems we can to overcome those human frailties.
Staff in ACT Corrective Services are diligent and conscientious. They are working in a difficult environment in which sometimes even their lives are on the line. I am
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