Debate resumed from 19 November 2024.
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) (15:44): In reply: I thank members for their contributions to the debate. I thank the member for Terrigal, and shadow Minister for Corrections; the member for Newtown; the member for Campbelltown; the member for Prospect; the member for Mount Druitt; and the member for Camden. The Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Amendment Bill 2024 is part of a suite of reforms that the New South Wales Government is progressing to improve transparency and integrity in Corrective Services NSW. The bill implements recommendation 4 from the report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Offending by Former Corrections Officer Wayne Astill at Dillwynia Correctional Centre by strengthening the offence prohibiting inappropriate relationships between correctional staff and inmates.
The bill also makes numerous machinery-type amendments to clarify existing powers and functions necessary in the management of the correctional system and ensures provisions in the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation are supported by clear and precise regulation-making powers. I welcome support for the bill across Parliament. I thank the member for Terrigal, and shadow Minister for Corrections, for his support of the bill. I acknowledge the member's passion for reform of our Corrective Services system. I echo the sentiments raised by the member and throughout debate that the majority of the 10,000 staff of Corrective Services act appropriately in the workplace and perform a challenging job to a high standard. I am glad that the member for Terrigal acknowledged the shocking and deplorable nature of Astill's offending. I am also glad that the member acknowledged the importance of the amendments introduced through the bill to prohibit all forms of sexual conduct between correctional employees and inmates, in line with recommendation 4 of the Astill inquiry.
As the House is aware, the New South Wales Government accepted all 31 recommendations of the special commission of inquiry into the offending of former corrections officer Wayne Astill either in full or in principle. A total of $30 million in funding has been committed over four years to implement priority initiatives. We are getting on with the most urgent action while working through the longer term reforms. The Government's response to the Astill inquiry will continue to progress outside the scope of the bill. I thank The Greens for their support of the bill, and I acknowledge that the member for Newtown has foreshadowed amendments to be introduced in the upper House, which the Government intends to support.
I note that concern has been expressed inLegislation Review Digest No. 24/58 that the bill defers a number of significant matters to regulations. The bill does not seek to expand the type of matters that can be provided for in regulations. Rather, the bill ensures that there are clearer, more express regulation-making powers for existing provisions in the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation. The bill actually moves some provisions from the regulation to the Act—for example, provisions relating to the opening of correspondence. That is based on the view that it is in the interests of transparency and clarity for provisions that authorise actions with such significant privacy implications to be located in the principal Act, rather than in subordinate legislation.
The bill plays a vital role in the Government's wider suite of reforms to the Corrective Services system as it implements the recommendations of the Astill inquiry. The amendments indicate that this Government is absolutely committed to restoring trust, accountability, transparency and confidence in Corrective Services NSW. I again thank the stakeholders that have contributed to the development of the bill. In particular, I thank the Public Service Association, Legal Aid NSW, the NSW Bar Association, the Law Society of NSW and Domestic Violence NSW for their considered input. I also thank staff from both the Department of Communities and Justice and Corrective Services NSW that have supported the development of the bill, including consultation with stakeholders. I thank Sally Taylor, Jonathan Lee, Kate Peltonen, David Spackman, Sallie McLean and all other staff involved for their work and commitment to ensure that the laws that govern Corrective Services NSW best support integrity, transparency and accountability in the operations of the system. I commend the bill to the House.
TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Clayton Barr): The question is that this bill be now read a second time.
Motion agreed to.
Third Reading
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: I move:
That this bill be now read a third time.
Motion agreed to.
