Page 2356 - Week 06 - Thursday, 23 June 2011
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(e) in response to a question during Estimates asking if Mr Buchanan was “pushed”, the Attorney-General answered “no”; and
(f) Mr Buchanan has stated:
(i) publicly that his termination was not voluntary;
(ii) publicly that he is the “political fall guy” and was “shattered” by his termination;
(iii) to the media that he has been denied due process; and
(iv) publicly that he believed that the motivation for his termination was in part due to his opposition to a Needle and Syringe Program at the AMC; and
(2) refers the matter of the termination of the former superintendent, Mr Doug Buchanan, and the lack of continuity in the AMC superintendent position to the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety for inquiry.
I rise today to discuss a very serious issue with regard to the superintendent position at the Alexander Maconochie Centre. And I will be covering in my speech today both the systemic issues relating to that position and the lack of continuity that has led to safety and security risks at the jail, as well as whether due process has been afforded to the former superintendent, Mr Doug Buchanan. They are very serious issues, they are very grave, and my intent is to have this issue referred to the JACS committee for proper inquiry and investigation.
This is a matter that needs to be brought to the public light. It is a matter that Mr Doug Buchanan wants brought to the public light. He has already made public comments on a number of occasions in the media. He does not want it buried. He wants it brought forward and I think that the public also have an interest to make sure that what has occurred at the Alexander Maconochie Centre is brought to the public light. I give no judgement on what has occurred. I just want to make sure that due process has been followed and that it is properly brought to the public’s attention.
Given the history of the prison, this is not an insignificant issue. We know that there have been a litany of problems, and I will not replay those at this stage. There is no need to. We are well aware of the problems that are being faced at the jail. But one of the most significant problems that have been faced is that of the position of superintendent.
I refer to the Hamburger report that was tabled in this place and its findings. It found, at finding 14:
That in the critical first year of operation the AMC did not have continuity of experienced leadership in the key role of Superintendent to drive efficiency and effectiveness through mentoring and monitoring the performance of the leadership team and leading by example in daily interactions with staff and detainees throughout the centre …
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