Mandatory minimum sentences support from unions welcome

Ensuring the safety of our emergency personnel, including police, nurses and paramedics, and custodial officers is a high priority of the Hodgman Liberal Government.

We took the policy of mandatory minimum sentences for assaults on emergency service personnel and prison officers to the election and the Government welcomes today’s support from the CPSU and United Voice for our policy.

Assaults by prisoners on officers in Risdon Prison have been a problem for many years, as they are in prisons around the world.

Any serious assault against emergency services personnel, including prison officers, is completely unacceptable and mandatory minimum sentences will put prisoners on notice that there are real consequences to assaulting a prison officer.

It is pleasing that United Voice and CPSU have recognised this and supported the Government’s policy.

The first phase of our policy has been implemented with mandatory minimum sentences for serious assaults against police officers being implemented in late 2014. The Government committed to undertaking a one year review of the police assaults legislation before extending it to other personnel and that work is currently being progressed so we can extend protections to other services, including custodial officers.

It’s now incumbent on Labor and the Greens to stop their mindless opposition to putting in place real consequences for offenders who commit these serious assaults.

Police are investigating the incident this week and the officers involved have been offered ongoing support and counselling.

Prison management have moved to ensure additional staff from other areas will be brought in at key times such unlock and lock up.

As I have said previously, it is my expectation that the Tasmania Prison Service continues to improve its performance.

That’s why we have taken a range of actions, including:

• The recruitment of 65 new correctional staff in 2014 and 2015, with further positions being recruited right now;
• Additional funding of $9.2 million to the TPS in 2014-15 and 2015-16;
• Engaging specialist expertise to provide advice on self-harm prevention in prisons; and
• Providing funding to the Office of the Ombudsman to undertake planning work for the implementation of a Tasmanian Custodial Inspector.
Vanessa Goodwin, Minister for Corrections