John Welch, Secretary of the WA Prison Officers Union
Respect the Risk has secured an exciting win in the campaign to keep WA’s prisons in public hands this month!
Up until now, the WA government had been considering a plan to privatise Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison in Kalgoorlie.
Respect the Risk has campaigned to make people aware of the risks associated with the privatisation of prisons from the outset. And in December we launched a humourous Christmas Card email action with a serious message directed towards WA Premier Colin Barnett.
Last week, Premier Barnett sent us a letter – confirming that operational staffing arrangements at Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison will NOT be privatised.
Read the latest news reports here:
- Prison Inspector says Bunbury Prison staff at risk while facility bursts at the seams. 20 January, 2012
The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) has called on the Barnett Government to fix the serious concerns raised by the Inspector of Custodial Services in his report into Bunbury Regional Prison released today. WAPOU Secretary John Welch said the Ins...
- Promised Prison beds at Greenough still not delivered 14 November, 2011
In November 2009 the Barnett Government announced a new male maximum-security unit would be built at Greenough Prison then months later decided not to site the unit at Greenough but announced they would build a female unit in its place. It’s now N...
- No benefit but serious risk with decision to outsource new Young Offenders Facility 1 November, 2011
The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) has called on the Barnett Government to reverse its decision to outsource a new Young Adults Facility. Expressing disappointment at the announcement today, WAPOU Secretary John Welch said he was very surprised...
- WAPOU calls for independent analysis into costs of privatised prisons 20 May, 2011
The WA Prison Officers Union (WAPOU) is calling for an independent analysis into the real costs of running privatised prisons after the Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services released a report into Acacia Prison that failed to account for severa...
- Lives put at risk with renewal of privatised prison transport 5 May, 2011
The WA Prison Officers Union (WAPOU) has today slammed the WA government’s decision to award global private company, Serco, with the responsibility of WA’s prisoner transport, court security and other custodial services operations. “The privat...
