Thursday, 14 August 2025

First Nations custodial health care

Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (12:13): (1008) My question is to the Minister for Corrections. Heather Calgaret was a Yamatji, Noongar, Wongi and Pitjantjatjara woman and was just 30 years old when she died whilst in the custody of the Victorian department of corrections. In her report on Heather Calgaret’s death the coroner highlighted that Heather never had access to culturally safe health care and at the time of her incarceration there were no Aboriginal health workers at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre prison. That is one example illustrated in the need for action on all 16 recommendations in the coroner’s report. Minister, will you accept all of the coroner’s recommendations?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:14): I thank Ms Copsey for her question. I will refer it to the Minister for Corrections accordingly.

Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (12:14): Thank you for referring that on. Minister, we continue to hear ongoing reports of unsafe conditions in a number of corrections facilities, resulting in repeated and inhumane lockdowns. Minister, given the significant pressure that additional remand numbers are adding as a result of Labor’s punitive bail changes, how are you going to address the increased risk of deaths in custody that legal and First Nations experts warn flow from Labor’s bad bail laws?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:14): I again thank Ms Copsey for her supplementary question and will refer it to the Minister for Corrections accordingly.