Thursday, 3 April 2025

Corrections system

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): My question is to the Premier. How many bikies, terrorists, murderers and rapists have had their classification downgraded due to the government’s ideological decision to close Port Phillip Prison?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:09): Once again we have the Leader of the Opposition choosing to attack workers and to attack the independent assessments made by Corrections Victoria, and I find that outrageous.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, I realise the Premier has not spoken for very long yet, but the Premier was debating the question. It was a very narrow question about how many murderers and rapists, and we would ask you to ask her to come back to that very narrow question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has only been on her feet for 10 seconds. The Premier to continue answering the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: As I said earlier, decisions made around a prisoner’s security classification are operational ones that are made independently by Corrections Victoria staff. Let us also reflect for a moment on the work that Corrections Victoria staff do every single day.

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, in relation to relevance on this issue, the very simple question was: how many? If the Premier does not know, she should just sit down.

Ben Carroll: On the point of order, Speaker, a Premier or minister is ‘to relate remarks to the question asked’ – Brooks. The question went very clearly to classification, and the Premier is right to point out, as she has, that the classification is a matter for Corrections Victoria. In fact, a former corrections officer should know it is the sentence management branch that does the classification –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier will resume his seat. Leader of the Opposition! You are not immune from being removed from the chamber, and nor are you, Deputy Premier. I will not tolerate points of order being used to make statements to the house. The Premier was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: Thank you, Speaker, and I share your lack of tolerance for attacks on Corrections Victoria staff. The Deputy Premier made, I thought, a very excellent point as he was explaining, because it clearly needs to be explained to the Leader of the Opposition, how the system works. When we reflect in this place on what Corrections Victoria staff do, they do work in dangerous conditions. They do work in difficult conditions. That is why I will not stand by and have these workers attacked in this place.

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question. The question was: how many? I ask you to bring her back to that point.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has concluded her answer.

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:12): The closure of Port Phillip Prison means the loss of 40 high-security hospital beds, which will mean more prisoners in public hospitals are alongside members of the public every day. Will the Premier guarantee the safety of patients and healthcare staff who will be side by side with high-risk prisoners in Victorian hospitals?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:13): In thanking and acknowledging the Leader of the Opposition for his question, I again refer to what I said earlier in terms of how we are going to respect – I will respect – the independent assessments that are made by Corrections Victoria staff. Those assessments are made –

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Speaker, this is specifically not in relation to the classification, on relevance. This is in relation to 40 hospital beds that will be closed in the prison system and therefore end up in the public health sector, taking away beds from people who need them in the community.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has only been on her feet for a short time, but I remind the Premier of the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: These assessments are made independently, and they go into consideration also of the support and the protection for frontline workers. Only people who cut funding to hospitals would think the way the Leader of the Opposition does.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question again. It was very narrow about the risk being put to healthcare workers under this decision of the government.

The SPEAKER: Order! I do not need to be reminded of the question. The Premier has concluded her answer.