Prisons across New South Wales were thrust into lockdown on Thursday after thousands of officers staged a walkout. The industrial action, which saw facilities managed by a skeleton staff, was sparked by a controversial court ruling. By late Thursday, the Industrial Relations Commission intervened, ordering officers to end the strike by 6 a.m. Friday following an urgent application by the state government.
The strike was ignited by a decision not to extend the sentence of an inmate convicted of assaulting four prison officers. Stewart Little, the general secretary of the Public Services Association, explained that the officers suffered serious facial injuries. The inmate, currently held at Goulburn Correctional Centre and soon eligible for parole, was given a three-year community corrections order.
Rising Tensions and Assaults in Prisons
Stewart Little expressed the outrage felt by prison officers, stating, “My phone has gone into meltdown, I’ve had prison officers ringing me all day absolutely incandescent with rage at the signal this magistrate has sent to the community.” He noted that assaults by inmates against staff have surged by 42% over the past three years, a trend attributed to an increasing number of inmates on remand.
Approximately 5,000 prison officers participated in the strike, affecting every prison across the state. Despite the disruption, Leon Taylor, the NSW deputy commissioner for corrective services, assured the public that prisons remained secure and safe, with essential services maintained by a reduced staff.
Government and Union Responses
Little emphasized that the strike would persist until “justice” was served for the injured officers, two of whom are unlikely to return to their roles. However, Anoulack Chanthivong, the minister for corrections, remarked that while he understood the anger, “a decision of the independent judiciary is not a basis for industrial action.” He added that the director of public prosecutions might appeal the magistrate’s decision.
Taylor acknowledged the rising rates of inmate assaults on staff, a situation exacerbated by a record-high remand population, which constituted 44% of the prison population as of June, according to Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (Bocsar) data. Domestic violence offenders are reportedly driving this increase.
“Many of these inmates have come in as a result of the government’s right crackdown on domestic violence. So obviously, we’ve got people, not just with substance problems, but behavioral problems,” Little said, highlighting the complex challenges faced by prison staff.
Implications and Broader Concerns
The shadow minister for corrections, Adam Crouch, pointed to staff shortages and increased prisoner lockdowns as contributing factors to the rise in assaults. “I’m hearing that from prison officers all the time. They feel that their only way out is to effectively take sick leave or go on stress leave because there are not enough of them dealing with the presence that we have in the corrections system at the moment,” Crouch stated.
The union warned that the strike could disrupt court operations, with the district court cautioning that the sentencing of former MP and convicted rapist Gareth Ward, scheduled for Friday, might be delayed if the strike continued. Ward is currently held in Cessnock prison.
Following the commission’s order to resume duties, Chanthivong affirmed, “I will continue to talk directly with correctional officers and the Public Service Association to achieve our shared goal of keeping our correctional centres safe for staff.”
This development highlights the ongoing challenges within the NSW correctional system, where rising inmate numbers and assaults on staff underscore the need for systemic reforms and enhanced safety measures.
