Debate resumed from 13 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) (15:31): In reply: I thank honourable members for their contributions to the debate on the Inspector of Custodial Services Amendment Bill 2024, particularly the members representing the electorates of Terrigal, Mount Druitt, Cootamundra, Parramatta, Sydney, Leppington and Kiama. I welcome the support for the bill across the Parliament. The New South Wales Government is committed to improving integrity, oversight and transparency in the New South Wales correctional system. The bill is part of a comprehensive suite of reforms we are progressing to achieve that change.
The bill strengthens the role of the Inspector of Custodial Services by amending the Inspector of Custodial Services Act 2012 to implement the legislative recommendations from the 2021 statutory review of the Act. The bill also addresses concerns raised in the report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Offending by Former Corrections Officer Wayne Astill at Dillwynia Correctional Centre by clarifying the role and independence of official visitors. Additionally, the bill takes a critical step in addressing concerns raised in the report of the Ombudsman entitledInvestigation into inmate discipline in NSW correctional centres by amending the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 to introduce a review mechanism as part of the correctional centre discipline regime.
I thank the shadow Minister, the member for Terrigal, for his support of the bill and note his interest in the monitoring of the reforms. The Department of Communities and Justice will maintain regular communication with Corrective Services NSW and the Inspector of Custodial Services throughout the implementation period and will closely monitor the operation of these reforms following their commencement. I am glad to hear there is bipartisan support for implementing the recommendations of both the statutory review of the Inspector of Custodial Services Act and those of the Astill inquiry. I am also glad that the member for Terrigal acknowledged the shocking and deplorable nature of Astill's offending. I agree that this behaviour does not reflect the thousands of hardworking correctional officers who do the right thing each and every day.
I note the member for Cootamundra's concerns about the de-privatisation of Junee Correctional Centre. I ask the member why she is so eager for a multinational company to continue making a profit off the local community. Consistent with our election policy commitment to ensuring public-owned assets remain in public hands, the public management of Junee Correctional Centre will actually provide better pay, better conditions and career opportunities for frontline workers, including 340 well-paid public sector jobs for the region. Junee remains a crucial part of the New South Wales prison network, and I assure staff that their entitlements are safe. I am proud to lead reforms that will create meaningful change in the Corrective Services NSW system after 12 years of inaction from those opposite.
The bill responds to several recent public reviews and reports which have identified ways to improve transparency and accountability in Corrective Services NSW. Together, the amendments in the bill indicate the Government's ongoing commitment to restoring confidence in the operations and integrity of the Corrective Services NSW system. I again thank the stakeholders that have contributed to the development of the bill. In particular, I thank the Public Service Association, the Inspector of Custodial Services, the NSW Ombudsman, Legal Aid NSW, the New South Wales Bar Association, the Law Society of New South Wales and Domestic Violence NSW for their considered input.
I also thank the staff from both the Department of Communities and Justice and Corrective Services NSW who 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 the laws that govern Corrective Services NSW best support integrity, transparency and accountability in the operations of the system. I also acknowledge the work of the staff in my office, Alicia Sylvester, my director of policy, and Constance Piperides, my policy adviser, for their work on this bill to improve the operations of Corrective Services NSW. I commend the bill to the House.
TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Ms Donna Davis): 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.
