Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (12:17): My question is directed to the Minister for Corrections. Between 2022-23 and 2023-24, assaults on correctional officers have surged by 32 per cent, reaching the highest rate per prisoner in more than a decade. Will he apologise for making New South Wales prisons more dangerous for staff?

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields—Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections) (12:17): I thank the shadow Minister for Corrections for his question. Corrections takes a zero-tolerance approach when it comes to an unsafe workplace for our officers and inmates. Members may have seen the story in The Daily Telegraph this morning. A number of those incidents happened before the Government came to office. What I can clearly say is that Corrections, under this Government, is on a long road to reform. Our reforms from the Astill inquiry, which we commissioned, are for the egregious and deplorable actions by former officers against our vulnerable inmates. On top of that, the Government has moved some significant reforms recently. For example, reforms recommended by the Inspector of Custodial Services [ICS] on how inmate discipline is being managed. We will take on the recommendations made by the Ombudsman and the ICS reports given to Corrections.

In all fairness, prisons are relatively complex and very volatile places, but the Government and Corrections do not tolerate oppressive behaviour towards officers and are working to ensure a continued safe environment. We will continue on the road to reform for Corrections. Both the new commissioner, Mr Gary McCahon—whom we appointed recently—and the Government are on the road to reform to deal with issues like inmate discipline and inmate management. We have moved significant legislation on ICS and inmate discipline. We have conducted the Astill inquiry, and the recommendations of that inquiry have been implemented. We have closed nine of the 31 recommendations and allocated $30 million towards implementing the reforms from the inquiry. All of the recommendations that were made by Judge McClellan are already in train. Some of these issues are going to take a bit longer because they deal with embedded cultural issues within the institutional environment, but we are making significant progress.

Of course, some of the issues around inmate violence did not begin in April 2023; they have been around for quite some time. But I can honestly say to members of the Chamber and visitors in the gallery that when we compare the Corrections reforms made by this Government versus the former Government, they are chalk and cheese. The Astill inquiry, led by Judge McClellan, has released its recommendations, and we have the ICS review. We are working on inmate discipline and making sure that inmates who feel they need an outlet have avenues made available to them. Of course, we have rehabilitation programs to ensure that inmates who are doing their time and paying their debt to the community are better when they come out, because we want them to commit no crimes so there are fewer victims. This Government is on the road to reform when it comes to corrections.