This National Corrections Day, the Canberra Liberals recognise our brave and hard-working Corrections Officers and call on the ACT Government to prioritise their needs for more support and training, Shadow Minister for Corrections Elizabeth Kikkert said.

“Our Corrections Officers have done an outstanding job during the last year and deserve the highest praise,” Mrs Kikkert said.

“In a year filled with difficulty from bushfires and a pandemic, Alexander Maconochie Centre staff have responded with professionalism and innovation.

“Within five days of the suspension of in-person visits, staff implemented audio-visual visits, ensuring detainees were able to continue seeing friends and loved ones, a feat that surely helped in reducing any tensions caused by the disruptions of COVID-19.

“Unfortunately, successive Labor and Greens Ministers have failed to provide the support and training that our fantastic officers continue to call for.

“Corrections Officers regularly express their needs for more support and training in areas such as safety, riot response and court transport unit standards for young detainees.

“Numerous reports from the Inspector of Correctional Services have made similar findings and recommendations.

“It’s time for the Minister to take the recommendations of numerous ICS reports and repeated feedback from staff seriously. It’s time for our Corrections Officers to receive the support they need,” Mrs Kikkert concluded.