Inspectors and ombudsmen regularly go to prisons and publish reports on what they find and what they think needs to be improved. They also complete reports on issues such as access to healthcare or the use of segregation.

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Western Australia

The Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services (OICS) in WA oversees how people in prison are treated. Its reports are provided to the state parliament and published publicly on its website.

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The independent government agency is currently looking into the reasons for the increase in the prison population in the state, and the impacts of it, including around remand, rehabilitation and parole.

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It is also reviewing whether prisons are complying with section 46A of Prisons Act 1981, which outlines what happens after it is suspected that someone in prison has transferred bodily fluids to a prison officer, such as through spitting.

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If this is suspected to have happened, someone’s medical records may be accessed and a sample may be taken from them, if the prison officer “reasonably suspects” they have been exposed to infectious bodily fluids.

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The OICS is looking at how these powers are being used and if health information is properly being protected. It will release its report by the end of the year.

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The body also recently inspected Eastern Goldfields Prison in May, and Melaleuca Women’s Prison in March.

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New South Wales

The Inspector of Custodial Services in NSW inspects each adult prison in NSW at least once every five years, and every youth justice centre every three years.

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It recently released reports based on inspections of Clarence Correctional Centre, segregation rules and six youth justice centres around the state.

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The agency inspected Clarence prison in late 2024, and released its report in April this year.

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It found that the healthcare services on offer at the prison were a “major concern”, mainly due to understaffing. The inspector was especially concerned about understaffing in mental health care services, and recommended that people with acute needs not be taken to the prison.

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The review found that people in psychosis were waiting three days at the prison to see a mental health worker, and someone who was acutely psychotic was waiting more than 50 days to be admitted to hospital.

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The prison infrastructure is modern, well-designed and well-maintained, the report said, and was the first prison in the state to introduce electronic tablets.

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It also recently released a report on the use of segregation and other ways to separate and confine people in prison in NSW.

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The agency pointed to examples where the procedures and record keeping required when using these methods was “wholly inadequate” and often “little more than a ‘tick and flick’ exercise”.

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Segregation is being used more regularly in NSW, and this has led to staff being “completely overwhelmed”, the review found. It has also meant that people are being held in cells that are not fit-for-purpose.

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When the inspector looked at the protective custody area of the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre, there were more than 100 people in protective custody held in regular units, and they got just 30 minutes every third day to shower, exercise and make phone calls.

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The NSW inspector also released a report based on its unannounced inspections of six youth justice centres in the state. It found that the use of restrictive practices had reduced, but was still concerned about a lack of time out of rooms, the number of assaults and the ability to make proper complaints.

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South Australia

The main body responsible for overseeing prisons in the state is the SA Ombudsman.

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In a report released in April, the Ombudsman said that a woman in a prison in the state had been denied medication to terminate a pregnancy because there were not overnight medical staff.

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The Ombudsman found this was an “administrative error”, and that the lack of 24-7 medical staff put women in prison at a disadvantage.

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Queensland

The Queensland Ombudsman recently completed inspections of Capricornia, Numinbah, Lotus Glen and Princess Alexandra Hospital Secure Unit.

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Consultation recently closed on its review of Woodford Correctional Centre.

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The Ombudsman is also consulting now on the Maximum Security Unit at Arthur Gorrie, Brisbane and Woodford prisons.

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The Ombudsman also recently released a report into its inspections of the Brisbane Correctional Centre.

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It included 55 recommendations for improvements, mainly around overcrowding and the limited infrastructure at the prison.

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The inspections found that people at the prison were often locked in cells with other people for around 20 hours each day.

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The Ombudsman recommended a review into bullying and violence reduction policies due to the overcrowding, and better access to activities.

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Victoria

Oversight of prisons in Victoria is mainly done by the Victorian Ombudsman. Its most recent prison report was in November last year and looked into alleged misconduct at Ravenhall Correctional Centre.

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Tasmania

The Office of the Custodial Inspector Tasmania oversees prisons in the state, with a focus on the wellbeing of people incarcerated and the systems used in these places of detention. Its most recent report was from last year and looked at how young people in custody were being transported.

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Northern Territory

The NT Ombudsman and the Office of the Children’s Commissioner are the main bodies responsible for overseeing adult and youth prisons in the Territory.

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ACT

The ACT Inspector of Custodial Services is responsible for looking into prisons in the ACT.

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The inspector’s most recent report was on the rising number of assaults at Alexander Maconochie Centre.

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The report raised concerns with the rising level of violence at the prison, and recommended more of a focus on work, activities, programs and recreation outside of cells.