“The prison system faces funding cuts of 2% this year and further cuts of 3% over coming years putting the Western Australian community further at risk,” says WA Prison Officers’ Union Secretary John Welch.

The Barnett Government’s announcement included news there will be a deferral of spending on a range of capital works projects across government, putting further in doubt plans to build a new prison facility in the Eastern Goldfields and much-needed upgrades at other facilities around the state.

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WA Treasurer Christian Porter has announced plans to cut spending in Government departments by two per cent this year and later up to three per cent to save more than $1 billion over four years.

But WA Prison Officers’ Union secretary John Welch said the two per cent cut this year followed by a three per cent cut in coming years to the Department of Corrective Services meant prison sector funding had taken a significant hit while prisons were overflowing.

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He said that recent revelations that Serco intended to fulfil its contract to provide maintenance at the Fiona Stanley hospital by using prisoners from the new Rangeview Prison were deeply disturbing.

“It is hard to believe that this has been allowed to happen – it is clear that Serco’s need to make a profit has over-ruled any safety or moral considerations.”

“This has not happened in any other hospital in the State, and for good reason. Serco is simply using its prisoners as cheap labour, and public safety will be the loser.”

“Sources within the Corrective Services Department are obviously concerned enough to make this information public. Minister Redman needs to take advantage of the opportunity to release to the public the details of the contract with Serco, not bury his head in the sand and pretend this is acceptable.”

Mr Welch said that residents near the prison had already been misled once about the facility.

“The original proposal for the prison – the one given to residents – was for it to hold 80 prisoners between 18 and 22 with no history of violent offending,” Mr Welch said.

“But because it was impossible to find 80 prisoners in this category, it will now hold some violent offenders to ensure SERCO can make a profit on the deal.”

“We understand the local community were given undertakings about the nature of the prisoners held at this facility. It is clear that the government have fundamentally changed who will be held at this facility without community consultation and that should be a matter for public concern”

“The Minister has said in parliament that there was vigorous assessment of private provision against a public provision of the service. If that is so, why does he release this information to the public? What is he hiding?”

“This is the danger of privatising key public infrastructure like prisons and hospitals without adequate transparency.”

“The Government needs to take responsibility for this issue – they may be able to outsource contracts, but they can not outsource their responsibility for the provision of prison services and their accountability to the public.”

If they don’t, then the only way to Save Our Services will be to vote them out at the next State Election. Today marks the beginning of a new phase in the Save Our Services Campaign with the launch of a radio advertising campaign aimed at highlighting the risk to services of the Barnett Government privatisation program

The privatisation of public services by the Barnett Government poses real risks for community safety particularly in areas such as hospitals and prisons.

The reality is that large private companies seek to maximise their profits by reducing costs. That can lead to cutting corners for things like the cleaning of hospitals, medical services or prisoner rehabilitation programs.

“Cost-saving through privatisation inevitably leads to difficulties attracting and retaining staff. 

This is particularly important in WA. Some areas of labour shortages are very serious as the boom draws people into mining and associated jobs.

Listen to the radio ad here:

Anti-privatisation Ad (483Kb mp3)

For more information visit: 

http://saveourservices.com.au/

Originally this facility was planned for young non-violent offenders, but without talking to the community, the government has changed it to a fully-fledged prison where teenagers will mix with experienced prisoners up to 24 years old.

And under the government’s current policy of double bunking this facility could now blow out to housing double the number of offenders.

The Barnett Government says it cares about law and order but is that really the case when they outsource key parts of the justice system?

If the government walks away from its responsibilities it will not be able to protect the community.

We call on the Barnett Government to…

• Be transparent in their dealings with Serco and make public any contract signed.
• Ensure Serco gets no more than an initial three-year contract followed by a parliamentary review.
• Ensure that the wages and conditions of workers in this new prison are not less than those working in state run facilities.

Download the Open Letter to Premier Barnett (897Kb pdf)

Unionists say “warehousing” of inmates at Greenough Regional Prison is endangering staff safety.

The WA Prison Officers Union and Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association claim the State Government is neglecting overcrowding problems at Greenough Prison and needs to act.

The Prison Officers Union said inmate numbers at the prison had reached 290 yesterday, 71 above the facility’s design capacity of 219.

POU secretary John Welch said the Government’s decision to double-bunk inmates was putting too much pressure on officers.

“It’s an ongoing concern for us that we have such an enormous level of overcrowding at Greenough Regional Prison,” he said.

“This issue makes it very difficult for prison officers to do their job safely and securely.” Mr Welch was concerned Greenough Prison had been pushed off the “Government’s list of priorities”.

“The Government really needs to deliver on its promises to build a female unit at Greenough,” he added.

“If you overcrowd prisons there will be more assaults – prisoner on prisoner, prisoner on staff. These are great worries for our members.”

Toni Walkington, CPSU/CSA branch secretary echoed similar concerns, saying overcrowding was impacting on staff stress-levels.

“Double-bunking is a dangerous measure, this type of warehousing can’t keep going on,” she said.

“We are concerned this will have major implications on the health of prison staff if there is not some relief to overcrowding by the Government in the long-term.”

A WA Department of Corrective Services spokesperson said Greenough was below its operational capacity.

“Double bunks meet necessary design standards,” said the spokesperson.

“We look at the prison system as a whole and have allocated infrastructure funds/beds to areas to areas of greatest need.

“The Department is constantly reviewing and adapting to needs of the prison system as it fluctuates.

SOURCE: Geraldton Guardian 03/02/2012

Professor Morgan’s report highlighted overcrowding as a particular concern saying the occupancy rate is almost 50 per cent higher than capacity and beds have been added to small cells originally intended for just one prisoner.

He says the cramped conditions have led to an increase in violence amongst inmates and a break-down in prisoner-staff relations.

Professor Morgan says prison management and staff are doing their best under the conditions but are sceptical about their ability to have a positive influence on prisoners.

“However, there are risks if the areas of concern identified in this report are not addressed,” he said.

• Read the ABC news story here »

• Read the Inspector of Custodial Services’ report here »

WA Prison Officers Union secretary John Welch said he was “extremely disappointed such a large promised increase in the prison capacity is not coming to fruition”.

© THE WEST AUSTRALIAN

The State Government announced in 2009 that a new male maximum-security unit would be built at Greenough Prison, only to decide months later that a female unit would be built in its place.

Yet two years on we’ve seen nothing to suggest a new female unit is going to be built.

The overcrowding continues and prison officers remain at risk.

Click on the image above for a larger version.

Radio 6PR Breakfast Show 02/11/11

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