Tuesday, 13 May 2025

Corrections Victoria

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:36): (899) My question is again to the Minister for Corrections. Minister, given that 94 per cent of corrections staff voted no confidence due to staff shortages, extended lockdowns and rising safety concerns within the prison system, will the corrections commissioner be replaced?

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (12:37): I thank Mr Davis for his question and his interest in our corrections system today. I think it is very important to state that every worker deserves to be safe in their workplace, especially our hardworking corrections officers. It is a challenging role, and I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to them. Two weeks ago I was at Dame Phyllis Frost, last week I was at Langi Kal Kal and today I was at Western Plains. Wherever I speak to workers, they do tell me about their concerns about staff safety, and that is why as a government we have not waited. We are introducing legislation today to strengthen the Corrections Act, to make amendments that will send a clear message that, where prisoners assault staff, it is expected that they will do additional time. We have also invested, throughout my time in this portfolio, in the physical infrastructure to support them. At Western Plains today it was great to hear from the general manager James Bulger, who was talking about the AI technology that will be in place that will support staff in managing the difficult cohorts that will be at Western Plains when it is fully operational. But I know that the commissioner – and I do have regular conversations with her – has heard the message loud and clear, and we are looking at options for what more can be done to support our corrections staff. The legislation we are introducing in the lower house today will obviously receive passage and will come to this place, and I look forward to the opposition supporting that work.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:38): My supplementary question to the minister is: police commissioner Shane Patton was replaced two days after a no-confidence vote by the police association. Why have you as minister failed to do the same to the corrections commissioner?

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (12:38): I thank Mr Davis for his question and his interest in this matter. I think the vote is a clear message from staff that Corrections Victoria need to do more to keep people safe, especially their staff, and I know the commissioner has heard the message. I know the commissioner is committed to working with staff and renewing our efforts to focus on prisoner safety, and that is why we did announce a safer prison strategy, and we are working towards that. I cannot speak about other portfolios, because it was my understanding that those individuals in fact resigned or chose to go on leave. But I am firmly focused on supporting staff, and our investments today in the announcement by the Premier, me and the police minister reconfirmed that we are backing it up with real dollars, real investments, not just talking about staff safety. We have got legislative changes, we have investments in infrastructure, we will continue to do the work and work with our staff. I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the corrections staff. It is National Corrections Day this Friday, and I will be with them.