Page 4226 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 21 September 2011
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nothing to hide on this issue. Further, Mr Assistant Speaker, we believe that we have actually taken all of the steps already that Mr Hanson proposes in his amended motion.
Of course, this is the point the government has been seeking to make all along in relation to these incidents. The actions that Mr Hanson has been demanding and grandstanding on are actions that have already been taken, steps that have already been put in place, responses that have already been implemented. So we have nothing to hide. We have nothing to fear. We will support the amended motion and we will detail that we have already done or are doing the things that Mr Hanson calls for.
It just highlights how Mr Hanson likes to think that he can micromanage the jail, that every single little incident has to come to the Assembly, because somehow our managers, our custodial personnel and our senior executives are incapable of dealing with what is regrettably a fact of life from time to time in any correctional facility in the country. But, of course, Mr Hanson has a lot of time on his hands and so he is interested in micromanaging a facility from his comfortable chair in the Assembly.
I can confirm that the two incidents raised by Mr Hanson took place. The government has already confirmed that. I can also confirm that all of the detainees involved are safe and well and that their detention needs and health needs continue to be managed appropriately by Corrective Services and by Corrections Health. I can advise that an incident of self-harm occurred in July this year and was effectively and appropriately handled by the staff at the AMC at the time.
It would not be appropriate for me to divulge the personal information concerning the detainees in question. I think that members should be very wary of wanting to use this place to examine minute aspects of the lives of individuals in detention, even those in crisis. We do not use the Assembly to report on or inquire into every critical incident that occurs in the life of other citizens in the territory, whether they are at home or in the care of others. Nor is it appropriate to speculate about the motives of any particular individual in relation to their own health care, but I can provide this following information.
What I can say is that on the occasion in July, the detainee in question had been displaying behaviour that was of concern to staff. As a consequence, they were moved to the crisis support unit so that they could be appropriately monitored and observed. While in the CSU, the detainee attempted self-harm. Staff intervened. The detainee was prevented from doing any serious injury to himself and was treated for minor injuries by the AMC health staff. The detainee in question was Indigenous and as the incident occurred late in the afternoon of Monday, 25 July 2011, on Tuesday 26 July, the AMC’s Indigenous liaison officer was advised in writing. So within 24 hours of the incident occurring—in fact, in less than 24 hours—the AMC’s Indigenous liaison officer was advised. This was entirely appropriate and the correct procedure.
In regard to the matter which occurred on Monday, 29 August, I can confirm that a detainee in the CSU inadvertently overdosed on methadone. The detainee had suffered a seizure and was being attended to by Hume health centre staff. He asked for a drink of juice. He was given juice from the CSU common room refrigerator. As it turned out, this juice contained diverted methadone.
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