After countless reports and years of inaction, Attorney-General Elise Archer needs to tell Tasmanians if she will act on the latest damning report from the Custodial Inspector which shows Risdon Prison is a pressure cooker where fundamental human rights are routinely denied.
Shadow Corrections Minister Ella Haddad said the extraordinary report released today shows prison staff and inmates are being placed at daily risk because of Ms Archer's blatant refusal to improve conditions and allocate essential resources.
"Risdon Prison is a pressure cooker and the Liberal Government and Elise Archer have known that for years," Ms Haddad said.
"And now that has become crystal clear with this damning Custodial Inspector's report released today.
"Ms Archer and the government have refused to act and, in fact, things have only become worse year on year over the past seven years.
"Staff have been placed in an impossible situation because of Ms Archer's continued ignorance of report after report pointing out the clear evidence.
"She knows this prison has been at breaking point for years and she knows it is dangerous.
"She knows it's completely unacceptable that staff have been placed in the position where because of a lack of resources they have to lock inmates away in cells for 24 hours a day without access to education or training programs that might be improve their chances of not becoming part of a revolving door.
"What does Ms Archer expect staff to do?
"And what does she expect when, under her management, nearly 60 per cent of inmates are back in prison within two years because she has not equipped the prison with resources it needs.
"Ms Archer is presiding over a system that is completely broken - a system where fundamental human rights are being denied - and now that the evidence is clear in front of her, she needs to finally do something."
Ella Haddad MP
Shadow Corrections Minister
