The Queensland Party spokesperson for Police, Corrections and Emergency Services Darren Hunt has welcomed the decision to put safety first at the Townsville Correction Centre after a campaign by the Townsville Bulletin saw a re-think on staffing levels.
Mr Hunt said "People power has spoken. The Townsville Bulletin reported the safety issues and concerns being raised by staff at the prison that was placing the safety of staff, prisoners and the community in danger. The decision to replace officers at their posts when officers are required to escort prisoners or when staff called in sick was a win for both people power and common sense.”
Mr Hunts calls come after agreement was reached at the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission(QIRC) to replace staff to maintain safe staffing levels at the Townsville Corrections Centre. Corrections staff had threatened to walk off the job on Friday but, after consideration of the safety repercussions, they decided to wait until Monday so that safety would not be compromised by prisoners having to be locked down for the weekend and hearing scheduled before the QIRC.
Mr Hunt stated “These men and women deserve our support given the danger they put themselves in on a daily basis. Staff could have caused chaos if they walked off the job on Friday afternoon, but there issue was safety and safety alone. They weren’t chasing money or a better EB agreement. This was safety pure and simple, but no one would listen to them. That is why we need a new voice in the Queensland parliament.”
Mr Hunt stated “The Queensland Party is committed to a safe Queensland which is why we spoke out on this issue and will continue to do so if officers and the community are placed in danger. People from North Queensland can draw their own conclusions on why the other parties weren’t interested in speaking up on this matter. But they might ask how much involvement some party leaders would have given this matter had this occurred in Brisbane.”
Darren Hunt
Qld Party Police, corrections and emergency services spokesperson
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