COVID-19 vaccination
Matthew BACH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:25): (85) My question is back to the Minister for Corrections. Minister, it was revealed in the Herald Sun on Monday that inmates and visitors to Victorian prisons no longer need to be vaccinated. However, a strict mandate is still being enforced on corrections officers, who say the rule is exacerbating the state’s prison staffing crisis. Minister, I am advised that Corrections Victoria is the only correctional department in Australia that is maintaining a COVID-19 vaccination and booster policy for staff. In light of the high number of prison units being closed due to a lack of staff, why is this policy still in place?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (12:25): First of all, I want to from the outset thank all our corrections staff for the amazing work they do. Anyone that understands the corrections system knows that it is a very complex and challenging environment to work in, so they do a very difficult job. In terms of what we are doing in making sure that the settings are safe and they are operating safely, people are working very hard with what they are doing. But in terms of vaccination mandates, I thought we had these debates last term, so Mr Bach is going back in time in terms of these COVID vaccination mandates. I thought we had gone beyond that point, but I am not surprised the opposition is still focused on vaccine mandates and trying to appease that element of the community. But what I will say is, in terms of health settings –
Nicholas McGowan: On a point of order, President, the minister is not being direct; he is now debating the question. I ask you to pointedly remind him that he needs to be direct in answering his question.
The PRESIDENT: The minister was relevant to the question.
Enver ERDOGAN: I was only 50 seconds in. I am just answering the question that Dr Bach put forward about vaccine mandates. I think it is an important point, because I think it is a contrast with the government. What we have always done as a government is listen to the professionals on health advice, and the settings in our corrections system are regularly reviewed. The settings in terms of COVID have been adjusted recently so people that are unvaccinated can get visitors into the prison system. In terms of settings for correctional staff, that is regularly being reviewed, as all the health settings are in our corrections facilities.
Our number one goal is to ensure the safety of the staff and those in our custody. We have got a duty of care to them. That is the paramount duty that I take very seriously, and so do all our staff. Obviously we will review that in due course, as we do with every other sector of the economy. But like I said, I am surprised, Dr Bach, that out of all weeks this week your focus is on COVID vaccine mandates.
Matthew BACH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:28): Minister, have you been briefed by the department on this issue? If you have, to carry on a previous theme, would you be willing to table that briefing for the benefit of members?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (12:28): I am regularly briefed by the corrections commissioner on matters that happen in our corrections system, so in terms of issues around staffing and prison settings, obviously major policy differences or procedural differences are discussed. But like I said, we put the safety of our staff as paramount. In terms of any changes or adjustments, let me be clear, there is still a process to be had in terms of health settings – the setting of the health advice and the staff needing to be consulted. We need to make sure that we keep COVID numbers down in our corrections system, because obviously it is a different environment from being outside. Being in the corrections system is very different. I think it is easy to make commentary and try to compare the settings in our corrections system to the settings –
Matthew Bach: On a point of order, President, I have been listening to the minister and he is talking about interesting issues, but he has not gone near the question yet. Under our standing orders, at 8.07, it is necessary for a minister to be relevant, so I would ask that the minister be brought back to actually addressing the question.
The PRESIDENT: I believe the minister was relevant.
Enver ERDOGAN: As Dr Bach knows, staff continue to be required to be vaccinated. These changes have not had a significant impact on the system. Corrections Victoria will continue to monitor and make any necessary adjustments in due course.