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Corrections minister Mick Gentleman has admitted to gaps in staff training at Canberra prison, amid suggestions of tension between officers and senior management. Mr Gentleman said it had become clear from recent talks with prison officers and their union representatives that training had become a problem which needed urgent attention. He said the necessary training was available, but shortages in staff meant that officers didn’t have the time to complete it. While the addition of 14 prison officers later this month would “relieve” some of the pressure, Mr Gentleman said “quite a lot more” staff were needed. Further intakes are planned in March, with another flagged in either August or September. While the Canberra Liberals have laid blame for the problems at the feet of former long-serving ACT corrections minister Shane Rattenbury, Mr Gentleman has refused to criticise his cabinet colleague. “I am looking for the proper solutions to support staff in the future, I’m not worried about what has occurred in the past,” Mr Gentleman told reporters on Thursday afternoon. Concerns about staff numbers, training and rostering have been the catalyst for Mr Gentleman to establish a new prison oversight committee, which will bring together representatives from the prison, union, human rights commission, official visitor program and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. The committee, which will have an independent chair, will provide quarterly reports to the minister. In addition to overseeing the implementation of recommendations from inquiries and reviews, including a scathing recent audit of the court transport unit, the committee will attempt to address a deterioration in morale among staff at the Alexander Maconochie Centre. Community and Public Sector Union regional secretary Maddy Northam, whose union represents prison staff, said her members don’t feel “respected or heard” by management – including Corrective Services commissioner Jon Peach. Ms Northam said officers felt particularly aggrieved when Mr Peach told the public that the major prison riot on November 10 had been brought under control at 10.45pm that night. “Our members were on the ground until 3.30am that night – that was a really big issue for them,” Ms Northam said. Mr Gentleman said prison officers had told him that they wanted a “better system of management of staff into the future”. Asked if he had confidence in Mr Peach given problems at Canberra prison had emerged under his watch, Mr Gentleman said: “I have confidence in the way that management is occurring at AMC”. “I’m sure the oversight committee and the work that we are doing to support staff will help build that confidence as well,” Mr Gentleman said. Asked if she had confidence in Mr Peach, deputy opposition leader Giulia Jones said: “No, not particularly”. “I have had plenty of reports of staff feeling like they are the lowest priority for him and that their welfare and daily experience of going to work is not the thing that keeps him up at night,” Mrs Jones said. “I would like to see a total change in his management style.” Mrs Jones said Mr Gentleman’s decision to establish the prison oversight committee less than two months after being assigned the corrections portfolio was an admission of Mr Rattenbury’s failure in the role – which he held for eight years. The Greens leader, who is now Attorney-General, defended his record in the position. He said the ACT government had implemented a number of improvements in corrections in recent years, including increasing the number official visitors to the prison to increase oversight and providing meaningful employment for detainees where none previously existed. “I fully support minister Gentleman as the minister for corrections and I am pleased he is carrying on this work with today’s announcement [to establish the oversight committee],” Mr Rattenbury said in a statement.
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Corrections minister Mick Gentleman has admitted to gaps in staff training at Canberra prison, amid suggestions of tension between officers and senior management.
Mr Gentleman said it had become clear from recent talks with prison officers and their union representatives that training had become a problem which needed urgent attention.
He said the necessary training was available, but shortages in staff meant that officers didn’t have the time to complete it.
While the addition of 14 prison officers later this month would “relieve” some of the pressure, Mr Gentleman said “quite a lot more” staff were needed.
Further intakes are planned in March, with another flagged in either August or September.
While the Canberra Liberals have laid blame for the problems at the feet of former long-serving ACT corrections minister Shane Rattenbury, Mr Gentleman has refused to criticise his cabinet colleague.
“I am looking for the proper solutions to support staff in the future, I’m not worried about what has occurred in the past,” Mr Gentleman told reporters on Thursday afternoon.
Concerns about staff numbers, training and rostering have been the catalyst for Mr Gentleman to establish a new prison oversight committee, which will bring together representatives from the prison, union, human rights commission, official visitor program and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
The committee, which will have an independent chair, will provide quarterly reports to the minister.
A new committee has been formed to help address problems plaguing Canberra prison. Picture: Rohan Thomson
In addition to overseeing the implementation of recommendations from inquiries and reviews, including a scathing recent audit of the court transport unit, the committee will attempt to address a deterioration in morale among staff at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
Community and Public Sector Union regional secretary Maddy Northam, whose union represents prison staff, said her members don’t feel “respected or heard” by management – including Corrective Services commissioner Jon Peach.
“Our members were on the ground until 3.30am that night – that was a really big issue for them,” Ms Northam said.
Mr Gentleman said prison officers had told him that they wanted a “better system of management of staff into the future”.
Asked if he had confidence in Mr Peach given problems at Canberra prison had emerged under his watch, Mr Gentleman said: “I have confidence in the way that management is occurring at AMC”.
“I’m sure the oversight committee and the work that we are doing to support staff will help build that confidence as well,” Mr Gentleman said.
Asked if she had confidence in Mr Peach, deputy opposition leader Giulia Jones said: “No, not particularly”.
“I have had plenty of reports of staff feeling like they are the lowest priority for him and that their welfare and daily experience of going to work is not the thing that keeps him up at night,” Mrs Jones said.
“I would like to see a total change in his management style.”
Mrs Jones said Mr Gentleman’s decision to establish the prison oversight committee less than two months after being assigned the corrections portfolio was an admission of Mr Rattenbury’s failure in the role – which he held for eight years.
The Greens leader, who is now Attorney-General, defended his record in the position.
He said the ACT government had implemented a number of improvements in corrections in recent years, including increasing the number official visitors to the prison to increase oversight and providing meaningful employment for detainees where none previously existed.
“I fully support minister Gentleman as the minister for corrections and I am pleased he is carrying on this work with today’s announcement [to establish the oversight committee],” Mr Rattenbury said in a statement.
