Tuesday, 28 November 2023

Ministers statements: prison visitor schemes

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (12:40): I rise today to recognise and thank the volunteers of Corrections Victoria’s independent prison visitor scheme for the vital contribution they make to our system. Made up of volunteers from across Victoria, the independent prison visitor scheme provides a valuable community perspective about the on-the-ground operation of Victoria’s prison system.

Last month I had the pleasure of meeting many of the volunteers at the scheme’s annual event, where I had the opportunity to thank them in person for the important work that they do. Members of the community observe prison routines and functions and give practical advice to Corrections Victoria that is used to continually improve facilities and procedures. The scheme ensures that prison facilities reflect community expectations. It is a key accountability mechanism we have in place to maintain high standards for people in custody and of course our hardworking staff. Achieving those high standards is why this government has made changes across the custodial system recently. We have improved health services, opened infrastructure and retired old units that were becoming outdated.

I would also like to highlight the work of the Department of Justice and Community Safety’s Koori justice unit in supporting the Aboriginal prison visitor scheme to facilitate greater representation of Aboriginal community volunteers. We want an environment where Aboriginal volunteers are able to provide meaningful engagement with Aboriginal people in custody in a culturally safe and sensitive way. The insights provided by community members are crucial. Not only does it help us make sure we are doing the right thing by our staff and people in custody, but it helps us make the community a whole lot safer.

I again want to thank the volunteers of the independent prison visitor scheme for their ongoing service to the community. And if you are listening to this and like what you hear, I encourage you to express your interest in becoming an independent prison visitor so you too can play a pivotal role in shaping our corrections system and making us all safer.