Parklea privatisation runs smoothly

on Nov5 2009.. by Press | Print the article    SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend     
PARKLEA PRISON PRIVATISATION: GEO GAILS FIRST TEST

Private prison operator GEO Australia appears to have failed its first test as the private operator of Parklea Prison.

GEO’s inability to recruit sufficient personnel to staff Parklea has seen the Department of Corrective Services urgently redeploy to Parklea casual staff from essential security posts at correctional centres across the State.

Corrective Services Minister John Robertson’s rushed and ill-conceived privatisation of Parklea has become a debacle within a matter of days of Parklea being handed to GEO,” said Greens Corrective Services spokesperson Sylvia Hale MLC.

We have the spectacle of public employees being used to shore up a private operator’s business venture.

Understandably, prison officers are refusing to staff the vacancies created in public prisons by the transfer of staff to a privately run facility.

GEO’s inability to staff Parklea adequately has only worsened the position of prison officers who are expected to work excessive overtime to make up not only for GEO’s deficiencies but also the Department of Corrective Services’ failure to recruit full-time officers.

But prison officers are not the only ones to suffer. Prisoners too will experience long periods locked in cells, unable to exercise or attend courses, which in turn will further aggravate simmering tensions.

It may well be that GEO has violated an essential term of its contract. If so, the public is entitled to know.

The Minister should come clean about the whole sorry mess,” Ms Hale said.

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The Author Press is the author | Email this author | All posts by Press | Topic: Privatisation & PPP, State | Tags: None

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1 Comment so far


  1. 1 missy s on November 5, 2009 8:15 pm

    It is only a matter of time before someone, inmate, Corrective Service staff (parole) or Justice Health nurses or GEO inexperienced officers is hurt or killed. They are not letting the public really know what is going on inside there but for those of us who have an inside line into the place, its very scary…..When someone dies or is left badly hurt, the Government will have blood on its hands. Who cares???? NO one except the staff who were thrown out of there who ran the place with dedication & responsibilty.

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