Banksia Hill riot foreseen

May 9, 2013 No Comments

The Government was warned more than a year ago that a riot, violence and increased stress leave costing millions of dollars would likely result from widespread double-bunking at WA’s amalgamated juvenile detention centre.

The revelations are contained in a foreboding Department of Corrective Services dossier prepared for its executive management, obtained by the State Opposition, which declares most risks “extreme” and the consequences “major”.

Shadow corrective services minister Paul Papalia said yesterday the document proved that the disastrous January 20 riot at the Banksia Hill Detention Centre, which caused $1.55 million damage, was not only foreseeable but foreseen.

Read more via thewest.com.au

Public sector workers comp on the rise

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The Community and Public Sector Union has described the rising number of workers compensation claims in the sector as an “early warning sign” the system is not coping.

A report by WA’s Auditor General has found less than half of injured workers in the Departments of Education and Corrective Services were given adequate support to return to work.
He was examining why the number of public workers compensation claims was rising in Western Australia at a time when rates in the rest of the country are dropping.

The CPSU’s state secretary, Toni Walkington, says budget cuts and staff shortages have not helped.

Read more via ABC news

Solution is simple – more youth custodial officers are needed

May 8, 2013 No Comments

Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis doesn’t need a review to find out why so many youth custodial officers are on workers compensation, he just needs to put on more staff to cope with demand according to the Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association.

Branch Secretary Toni Walkington made the comment after the new minister hinted there may be a review of the selection process and training programs when being interviewed on radio today.

“That is a slap in the face for the stringent process that is already in place,” Ms Walkington said.

She said up to 60 of the 199 youth custodial officers assigned to the Banksia Hill Detention Centre were involved in some form of workers compensation with up to 35 of them on long-term leave.

These facts were highlighted in the Supreme Court review that ended on Friday after looking into the conditions of children in WA’s Corrective Services system.

“It is irresponsible for the minister to question the recruitment process and suggest some of the staff may be in the wrong profession, particularly when the claims relates to significant levels of stress and extreme assault.

“The current selection process is rigorous and not everyone who participates is able to complete it.”

Ms Walkington said chronic understaffing meant many of the staff were working extra shifts which was putting them under increased pressure and they could only do so much to fill in the gaps.

“Last year, well before the riot at Banksia Hill took place, we were campaigning for more staff to be employed to stop the rolling lockdowns which prevented children from getting access to adequate education and rehabilitation programs.

“The minister needs to avoid the rhetoric about reviews and just face facts – the system needs more staff.”

Ms Walkington said the system would be continue to be under pressure and there could possibly be more workers compensation claims if the Barnett Government did not respond soon to chronic staff shortages.

Union objects to scale-back of prisons contractor audit

January 9, 2013 No Comments

Private contractors that run security at Kimberley justice facilities could face reduced scrutiny if the Department of Corrective Services downsizes its audit team.

The Community and Public Sector Union last week raised concerns over a DCS decision to review its management of contracts through the court security and custodial services monitoring section.

Read more via thewest.com.au

Today Tonight – Long wait times and massive workload at the Police Communications Centre

November 9, 2012 No Comments

Ongoing concerns about long wait times and massive workload at the Police Communications Centre was highlighted in a recent episode of Today Tonight.

CPSU/CSA Branch Secretary Toni Walkington has told journalist Grahame Butler the centre has been understaffed for about four years and at least 70 more full-time staff are required for the unit to meet growing demand. More than 1.1 million calls were fielded last financial year.

Toni also said the introduction of new voice response technology as outlined by Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan today will not solve the problem,

“Getting people to press ‘1’ on the phone if they require immediate police attendance or ‘2’ for any other matter will not change the fact that the service will still struggle and that more operators are needed… It is a band-aid solution at best.”

Below is the link to the full story from Channel 7′s Today Tonight –  Friday 9 November 2012.

Today Tonight, Waiting times in Police call centres, Friday 9 November 2012

Overcrowded prisons ‘festering more crime’

October 23, 2012 No Comments

Overcrowded prisons in WA are festering greater violent behaviour among some of the state’s most dangerous prisoners, a union campaign launched this morning claims.

The graphic story of a prison officer named Andy, who was stabbed in the neck with a broken toilet brush during a rampage at Hakea Prison in 2010, is featured in the 30-second video calling for greater government protection.

Thirteen of the state’s 14 prisons are overcrowded, and the entire system is housing 1400 more prisoners than it is designed to, according to the WA Prison Officers’ Union.

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/overcrowded-prisons-festering-more-crime-20121023-282re.html#ixzz2A5jeILEj

Prison privatisation just doesn’t add up

April 12, 2012 1 Comment

Two key WA unions have slammed the Barnett Government’s decision to privatise the young adults prison in Murdoch.

The Rangeview Remand Centre for juveniles will soon be transformed in a centre for 18 to 24-year-old males and will be under the control of controversial multi-national company Serco.

The decision to give the private company $171million to run the facility doesn’t sit well with the Community and Public Sector Union or the WA Prison Officers’ Union.

They held a rally outside the centre recently with members of the Shadow Cabinet including Opposition Leader Mark McGowan.

“The Barnett Government is intent on privatising government services without giving a thought about the impact on the community, the workers or the people detained in juvenile detention,” CPSU Branch Secretary Toni Walkington said.

She said the original plan for the adult facility was for 18 to 22-year-old males who would be identified as wanting to make a change.

“But because the State Government insisted on it being privatised they changed the entire scope of the project that will include offenders up to 24 years of age.

“This change is not in the best interests of the rehabilitation system but was introduced because the private provider would not be interested in housing just 20 to 30 detainees at any one time.

“It needed to have a market and needed to have a scale, that is all private sector talk.”

Ms Walkington said privatisation was not good for the community or the corrective services system.

She said it was important that public services were kept in public hands and there was massive support in the community for this.

WAPOU Secretary John Welch said there was no financial benefit for the community and no improvement to public safety by giving Serco the contract.

He called on Corrective Services Minister Terry Redman to release the contract so everyone could understand the decision and what the financial benefits would be.

“Western Australians don’t want foreign multinationals making profit out of the crimes of which they and their families are the victims of,” Mr Welch said.

“Prisons and prison services should always be held in public hands; they are the responsibility of the state.

“The privatisation of any prison service poses a risk because experience around the globe shows that when prison services are privatised, jobs are cut in order to maximise profits for the company and its shareholders.”

Ms Walkington said they would be calling for inquiries into privatisation of essential public services.

“We believe if an investigation is done into the rationale behind the decision there would be no real difference in terms of cost with the public service doing it for the same amount of money, if not less.

Both union officials said the privatisation process needed to be revealed and exposed.

Ms Walkington said privatisation would play a key role in their campaign leading to the March 2013 State Election.

“We want to see people elected into parliament who care about the justice system and want to make a difference in our community and change people’s lives.”

Join us – Rangeview Action, 9.00am Thursday 5 April

April 3, 2012 No Comments

At 9.00am Thursday 5 April 2012 the Shadow Minister for Corrective Service Fran Logan will be holding a Labor Cabinet meeting outside the Rangeview Remand Centre.

As part of the Don’t Outsource Justice Campaign, we encourage you to attend this event to highlight the issue of Privatisation!

The meeting will highlight concerns emanating from the Contract the State Government has signed with SERCO to manage and operate the Young Adult Offender Facility.

Details: Shadow Cabinet Meeting Corrective Services
Date: 9.00am, Thursday 5 April 2012
Location: Rangeview Remand Centre, corner of Bramanti Road and Murdoch Drive, Murdoch

Click image to enlarge. Note A&B markers indicate Transperth bus stops

The message is spreading – Don’t Outsource Justice

March 12, 2012 No Comments

We’ve upped the ante in trying to restrict Serco, a private multi-national company from getting too much control of the new young adults prison in Murdoch.

Our key message to the Barnett Government is that Serco should only be granted a three-year contract to run the prison, with a parliamentary review into the contract terms after that.  This should also include a wages and conditions parity review.

We sent out 65,000 flyers, targeting voters in the marginal electorates of Jandakot, Southern River and Riverton along with Bateman, the seat held by Attorney General Christian Porter.

The issue was further highlighted with open letter to Premier Colin Barnett and Mr Porter that appeared in community newspaper adverts which followed a story on the front page of the Melville Times.

We also called on 16,000 of the Community and Public Sector Union Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA) members to send emails to their local politician to see where they stand on the issue and the matter was raised in question time in State Parliament.

At a time when the WA taxpayer is being slugged with rising utility costs it is hard for the government to justify handing over the service to an overseas company, particularly when it was already handled competently by the public sector.

Explanation Please – Letter to the Editor, Melville Times

February 21, 2012 No Comments

EXPLANATION PLEASE
Letters to the Editor, Melville Times – February 14, 2012

IF the State Government cares so much about law and order why is it contracting out services that should be run by the Department of Corrective Services?

I have just been told by a couple of concerned neighbours that the prison that is being established for young adult prisoners in Murdoch is being upgraded by the Government but will then be run by Serco.

On this company’s home page it says it is based in the United Kingdom, North America, Germany, India, Europe and the Middle East. So why is this international company taking over the running of a local asset?

Presumably it is going to be paid handsomely to run this service and how much of the money it will generate will stay in Western Australia?

Can someone from the Government reply and tell us why they made this decision?

Mark Charles,
Kardinya.