Tuesday, 4 February 2025

 Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (13:58): I rise today to highlight the importance of maintaining family connections with people in custody and a commitment I made last year about reducing the cost of prison phone calls – a commitment made and, I can confirm, a commitment delivered. For most in custody there are family, friends and loved ones on the outside. As the Minister for Corrections I have heard from many family members of people in custody, and many of them tell me a similar story. They do not like what their loved one has done, but they are family and they want to maintain their relationship with them even when they are in jail or in custody.

The evidence is clear: maintaining positive relationships with family members is a key part of rehabilitation and turning people’s lives around. We all know the value of a simple phone call for human relationships. For anyone, a conversation with your children, parent or partner can provide reassurance and connection. That call can be even more important for people with a loved one in custody. That is why I am pleased that starting last weekend we have more than halved the cost of prison phone calls to mobile phones. This brings those costs more in line with the costs faced in the community and makes Victoria one of the cheapest in the nation.

I have been asked in this place as well as out in the community why the cost of phone calls from prison was so high. I have always been clear that I wanted to see them come down, and now they have. This is just one part of our efforts to modernise Victoria’s prison system. New technologies such as Zoom, body scanners and AI-enabled security settings are being rolled out across our prisons, and this year our state-of-the-art Western Plains facility will open. Together all of these changes mean we are making the best use of our best facilities, and that is keeping Victorians safe.