WA
Smoking Ban No Longer Going Ahead
Smoking will no longer be banned in all Western Australian prisons this year after the state government changed its mind on the plan.
It was announced late last year that all prisons would ban smoking by the end of this year.
But these plans have now been delayed until at least 2027 over concerns about the impact this move would have on safety in the facilities.
A review into the planned change will now be undertaken and finished by early next year.
Death in Custody at Casuarina
A 65-year-old man held at Casuarina Prison has died after suffering from a terminal illness.
The man died at Fiona Stanley Hospital in February.
A report is now being prepared for the state coroner, which is required for any death in prison.
Inmates Help to Fight Fires
Incarcerated people at a number of prisons in Western Australia have helped to fight bushfires around the state.
As part of a partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, a crew of people in prison are trained and supervised to reduce bushfire risks.
This crew has now completed more than 25,000 hours of fire mitigation work, reducing the risk of fires across 900,000 hectares.
People in prison are also helping aerial firefighting operations through the refuelling of water bombers.
The inmates involved are from Karnet, Wooroloo and Pardelup prison farms, Bunbury and Greenough Regional Prison and Dowerin Work Camp.
All of those involved are also earning National Unit of Competency qualifications from the fire mitigation training.
NT
Findings Delivered on Death of Martin Leach
An NT coroner has delivered findings on the death of Martin Leach, who died in custody in 2024 from congestive heart failure.
Leach died at age 65 at Royal Darwin Hospital after refusing the medical treatment needed to keep him alive.
The coroner found that this choice led to a “dilemma” for prison and hospital staff.
Leach refused his heart medication and said he did not want to be resuscitated, the coroner found.
Man Wrongly Released From Prison Returned to Custody After 2 Days
A man who was mistakenly released from custody has been returned to the Darwin Correctional Centre after two days.
The 52-year-old man was mistakenly released by authorities despite having two months still left on his sentence.
He was found by police in the CBD of Darwin 2 days later.
The NT Department of Corrections said the mistaken release was due to an “administration error made by Corrections staff”.
Mandatory Sentencing for DV Murders
Individuals found guilty of murdering their current or former partner must receive a 25-year no parole prison sentence under new laws in the Territory.
The NT Government passed the mandatory sentencing laws in March.
This means that those found guilty of a domestic violence related murder will receive a longer mandatory sentence than other murders, which have a 20-year minimum.
Prison Officers to Strike in Alice Springs
People incarcerated in Alice Springs were fully locked down for a total day due to a staff strike over disagreements about how much they should be paid.
Prison officers in Alice Springs went on strike for 12 hours in mid-March.
This meant that those incarcerated in the region were in total lockdown from the previous night until the morning of the following day.
SA
Changes to Home Detention Scheme
The South Australian Government has made some changes to the home detention scheme in order to ensure the voices of victims are “central to decision-making”.
According to media reporting, in the last eight years more than 1,000 people were released from prison on home detention by an internal Corrections Department committee, before completing their non-parole periods.
Under this process, any victims were notified of the person’s release via email if they had asked to be and were told they were not allowed to disclose any of this information publicly.
Under the changes, the state government will be removing references to this secrecy in the letters.
Opposition Pushes for Mandatory Sentences for Police Assaults
The South Australian Opposition has committed to introduce mandatory prison sentences for those found guilty of assaulting a police officer.
Anyone found guilty of causing harm to a police officer while they are on duty will be sentenced to a minimum of six months in prison, under the changes.
The Liberal Opposition said it would introduce legislation to make these reforms within its first 100 days in government, if it wins the upcoming election.
It will also scrap the ability for the courts to suspend a sentence for someone found guilty of this crime and introduce a presumption against granting bail.
NSW
Lower Standard of Proof for Prison Discipline a ‘New Injustice’
The NSW Government’s move to lower the standard of proof required to find someone guilty of a prison offence is a “new injustice”, the NSW Ombudsman has said.
The ombudsman released a report in early March on the progress made in reforming the inmate discipline system following a 2024 investigation.
This investigation found “systemic failures” in the inmate discipline process in NSW, including times when people were charged with multiple offences for the same conduct, had charges laid for inapplicable offences and had recordings of guilty pleas when someone had indicated they wanted to contest.
The ombudsman said that the state government’s implementation of recommendations from this inquiry has “significantly stalled”, and it has received no updates since the introduction of legislation lowering the standard of proof for all prison offences.
This was something the ombudsman said “we had explicitly recommended should not be done” and was a “new injustice”.
“Findings of guilt for serious offences with serious punishments on anything other than the standard of ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ is, in our view, unjust and unreasonable and inconsistent with the principles of a fair trial and the presumption of innocence,” NSW Ombudsman Paul Miller said.
The NSW Corrections Minister is now required to make a statement to state parliament replying to these concerns within 2 weeks.
Kairos Expands its Services
Kairos Prison Ministry Australia will expand its programs to the South Coast Correctional Facility this year.
Kairos is a Christian ministry providing programs in prisons around the country, primarily in regional New South Wales.
The organisation is planning to run two programs at the Nowra prison this year and four next year.
It is also looking to expand its programs to Bathurst and Wellington and to run more in prisons it already operates in.
WA
Smoking Ban No Longer Going Ahead
Smoking will no longer be banned in all Western Australian prisons this year after the state government changed its mind on the plan.
It was announced late last year that all prisons would ban smoking by the end of this year.
But these plans have now been delayed until at least 2027 over concerns about the impact this move would have on safety in the facilities.
A review into the planned change will now be undertaken and finished by early next year.
Death in Custody at Casuarina
A 65-year-old man held at Casuarina Prison has died after suffering from a terminal illness.
The man died at Fiona Stanley Hospital in February.
A report is now being prepared for the state coroner, which is required for any death in prison.
Inmates Help to Fight Fires
Incarcerated people at a number of prisons in Western Australia have helped to fight bushfires around the state.
As part of a partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, a crew of people in prison are trained and supervised to reduce bushfire risks.
This crew has now completed more than 25,000 hours of fire mitigation work, reducing the risk of fires across 900,000 hectares.
People in prison are also helping aerial firefighting operations through the refuelling of water bombers.
The inmates involved are from Karnet, Wooroloo and Pardelup prison farms, Bunbury and Greenough Regional Prison and Dowerin Work Camp.
All of those involved are also earning National Unit of Competency qualifications from the fire mitigation training.
NT
Findings Delivered on Death of Martin Leach
An NT coroner has delivered findings on the death of Martin Leach, who died in custody in 2024 from congestive heart failure.
Leach died at age 65 at Royal Darwin Hospital after refusing the medical treatment needed to keep him alive.
The coroner found that this choice led to a “dilemma” for prison and hospital staff.
Leach refused his heart medication and said he did not want to be resuscitated, the coroner found.
Man Wrongly Released From Prison Returned to Custody After 2 Days
A man who was mistakenly released from custody has been returned to the Darwin Correctional Centre after two days.
The 52-year-old man was mistakenly released by authorities despite having two months still left on his sentence.
He was found by police in the CBD of Darwin 2 days later.
The NT Department of Corrections said the mistaken release was due to an “administration error made by Corrections staff”.
Mandatory Sentencing for DV Murders
Individuals found guilty of murdering their current or former partner must receive a 25-year no parole prison sentence under new laws in the Territory.
The NT Government passed the mandatory sentencing laws in March.
This means that those found guilty of a domestic violence related murder will receive a longer mandatory sentence than other murders, which have a 20-year minimum.
Prison Officers to Strike in Alice Springs
People incarcerated in Alice Springs were fully locked down for a total day due to a staff strike over disagreements about how much they should be paid.
Prison officers in Alice Springs went on strike for 12 hours in mid-March.
This meant that those incarcerated in the region were in total lockdown from the previous night until the morning of the following day.
SA
Changes to Home Detention Scheme
The South Australian Government has made some changes to the home detention scheme in order to ensure the voices of victims are “central to decision-making”.
According to media reporting, in the last eight years more than 1,000 people were released from prison on home detention by an internal Corrections Department committee, before completing their non-parole periods.
Under this process, any victims were notified of the person’s release via email if they had asked to be and were told they were not allowed to disclose any of this information publicly.
Under the changes, the state government will be removing references to this secrecy in the letters.
Opposition Pushes for Mandatory Sentences for Police Assaults
The South Australian Opposition has committed to introduce mandatory prison sentences for those found guilty of assaulting a police officer.
Anyone found guilty of causing harm to a police officer while they are on duty will be sentenced to a minimum of six months in prison, under the changes.
The Liberal Opposition said it would introduce legislation to make these reforms within its first 100 days in government, if it wins the upcoming election.
It will also scrap the ability for the courts to suspend a sentence for someone found guilty of this crime and introduce a presumption against granting bail.
NSW
Lower Standard of Proof for Prison Discipline a ‘New Injustice’
The NSW Government’s move to lower the standard of proof required to find someone guilty of a prison offence is a “new injustice”, the NSW Ombudsman has said.
The ombudsman released a report in early March on the progress made in reforming the inmate discipline system following a 2024 investigation.
This investigation found “systemic failures” in the inmate discipline process in NSW, including times when people were charged with multiple offences for the same conduct, had charges laid for inapplicable offences and had recordings of guilty pleas when someone had indicated they wanted to contest.
The ombudsman said that the state government’s implementation of recommendations from this inquiry has “significantly stalled”, and it has received no updates since the introduction of legislation lowering the standard of proof for all prison offences.
This was something the ombudsman said “we had explicitly recommended should not be done” and was a “new injustice”.
“Findings of guilt for serious offences with serious punishments on anything other than the standard of ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ is, in our view, unjust and unreasonable and inconsistent with the principles of a fair trial and the presumption of innocence,” NSW Ombudsman Paul Miller said.
The NSW Corrections Minister is now required to make a statement to state parliament replying to these concerns within 2 weeks.
Kairos Expands its Services
Kairos Prison Ministry Australia will expand its programs to the South Coast Correctional Facility this year.
Kairos is a Christian ministry providing programs in prisons around the country, primarily in regional New South Wales.
The organisation is planning to run two programs at the Nowra prison this year and four next year.
It is also looking to expand its programs to Bathurst and Wellington and to run more in prisons it already operates in.
QLD
Hiring Spree at Lockyer
The Queensland Government is looking to hire an extra 100 prison officers to work at the new Lockyer Prison.
It is looking to hire security guards, correctional officers, case managers and visitor officials to work at the newly opened 1,536-bed prison.
The new officers will receive paid training and five weeks of annual leave, with salaries of between $76,000 and $118,000 annually.
New Drug Laws Introduced
The Queensland Government has announced plans to limit people found guilty of drug offences to access diversion programs.
Under changes introduced to the state parliament, diversion will only be available to eligible first-time offenders.
The state government said that current individuals can receive a warning and then multiple diversion opportunities, with a total of five chances before they face “meaningful consequences”.
The changes also introduce on-the-spot fines or criminal charges for repeat drug offenders and stronger powers for police.
Current health-based diversion pathways aimed at addressing addiction will be maintained.
Government Enacts Hate Speech and Guns Crackdown
Pro-Palestinian slogans and chants have been banned in Queensland under reforms aimed at targeting antisemitism.
Under the reforms, a two-year jail term will be imposed for hate speech, with reports this will include slogans such as “from the river to the sea” and “globalise the intifada”.
The state government is also moving to restrict gun ownership and introduce tougher penalties for drive-by shootings.
Under the changes, stealing a gun will come with a punishment of up to 14 years in prison, and trafficking in unlawful weapons and guns will potentially attract a life sentence.
It will also be an offence for someone to have a blueprint for a 3D-printed gun or to actually create one.
VIC
Sports Program Expanded to Marngoneet
A program for young people combining sports and life skills has expanded to the Ripley Unit at Marngoneet Correctional Centre.
The Twinning Project, which already runs at Metropolitan Remand Centre, Western Plains Correctional Centre and Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, uses football to build resilience, improve physical health and teach life skills.
It is for young people aged 18 to 25 and is a partnership between Corrections Victoria, Melbourne City Football Club and the FIFA Foundation.
More than 100 people have already completed the eight-week course, which involves professional coaching staff, mentors and guest speakers.
Death in Custody at Barwon
A 43-year-old man died at Barwon Prison in mid-February.
The death of the man is not being treated as suspicious.
The coroner will investigate the matter as it was a death in custody.
Malmsbury Youth Prison to Be Expanded
A further 45 beds will be added to the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre, on top of the 30 beds at the re-opened centre announced by the Victorian Government last year.
The additional capacity to incarcerate children is needed due to recent bail reforms, which have led to a 40 per cent increase in the number of youth being held on remand.
The move has been criticised by Jesuit Social Services.
“This is a direct outcome of recent changes to bail laws which we highlighted at the time would drive up prisoner numbers while doing nothing to address the underlying drivers of crime,” Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie Edwards said.
“Expanding the state’s prison capacity is not something to be celebrated, it is evidence of systemic policy failures and of misplaced priorities.”
Inmates Help to Rebuild After Fires
Inmates at the Langi Kal Kal Prison have helped local communities rebuild after recent bushfires.
Incarcerated people working at the prison have helped to supply livestock feed and on-the-ground assistance to the Stoneleigh community, where local farmers were impacted.
The workers have delivered more than 60 hay bales to the community and helped to grow, cut, rake and bale the hay on site.
A further 110 hay bales have been delivered to communities impacted by fires in Longwood.
Inmates at Loddon Prison have helped the local council with recovery efforts following the Harcourt fires, including by building new fencing and clearing timber.
ACT
Digital Communication Services to Be Introduced
New digital communication services allowing those at the Alexander Manonochie Centre to make voice and video calls on a tablet are set to be launched.
ACT Corrective Services is planning to purchase a new digital services solution to help improve access to communications and education for those incarcerated in the territory.
The department will ask private companies to apply to supply the service in the coming months and is hoping to have signed a contract in the second half of this year.
TAS
Prison Lockdowns Hampering Court Cases
A man appealing a murder conviction has told a court that he has been unable to find a lawyer because of repeated lockdowns at Risdon Prison.
The man told the court that he hasn’t found an instructing solicitor because he has spent too much time in lockdown.
“We have no access to phones,” the man told the judge. “We can’t do anything. But I’m doing everything I possibly can.”
In 2024–25 people in prison in Tasmania received an average of seven hours outside of their cells per day, lower than the national average of 8.9 hours, according to the Productivity Commission.
The large majority of these lockdowns were listed as being because of staff shortages.
Plan to operate new youth prison
The Tasmanian Government has begun consulting on an operating model for the state’s new youth detention centre.
The government said it would adopt a “child first, offender second” approach, with small, “home-like” accommodation.
What the government has said will be a new “therapeutically-focused youth justice facility” will be constructed north of Hobart and will replace the existing Ashley Youth Detention Centre.
QLD
Hiring Spree at Lockyer
The Queensland Government is looking to hire an extra 100 prison officers to work at the new Lockyer Prison.
It is looking to hire security guards, correctional officers, case managers and visitor officials to work at the newly opened 1,536-bed prison.
The new officers will receive paid training and five weeks of annual leave, with salaries of between $76,000 and $118,000 annually.
New Drug Laws Introduced
The Queensland Government has announced plans to limit people found guilty of drug offences to access diversion programs.
Under changes introduced to the state parliament, diversion will only be available to eligible first-time offenders.
The state government said that current individuals can receive a warning and then multiple diversion opportunities, with a total of five chances before they face “meaningful consequences”.
The changes also introduce on-the-spot fines or criminal charges for repeat drug offenders and stronger powers for police.
Current health-based diversion pathways aimed at addressing addiction will be maintained.
Government Enacts Hate Speech and Guns Crackdown
Pro-Palestinian slogans and chants have been banned in Queensland under reforms aimed at targeting antisemitism.
Under the reforms, a two-year jail term will be imposed for hate speech, with reports this will include slogans such as “from the river to the sea” and “globalise the intifada”.
The state government is also moving to restrict gun ownership and introduce tougher penalties for drive-by shootings.
Under the changes, stealing a gun will come with a punishment of up to 14 years in prison, and trafficking in unlawful weapons and guns will potentially attract a life sentence.
It will also be an offence for someone to have a blueprint for a 3D-printed gun or to actually create one.
VIC
Sports Program Expanded to Marngoneet
A program for young people combining sports and life skills has expanded to the Ripley Unit at Marngoneet Correctional Centre.
The Twinning Project, which already runs at Metropolitan Remand Centre, Western Plains Correctional Centre and Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, uses football to build resilience, improve physical health and teach life skills.
It is for young people aged 18 to 25 and is a partnership between Corrections Victoria, Melbourne City Football Club and the FIFA Foundation.
More than 100 people have already completed the eight-week course, which involves professional coaching staff, mentors and guest speakers.
Death in Custody at Barwon
A 43-year-old man died at Barwon Prison in mid-February.
The death of the man is not being treated as suspicious.
The coroner will investigate the matter as it was a death in custody.
Malmsbury Youth Prison to Be Expanded
A further 45 beds will be added to the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre, on top of the 30 beds at the re-opened centre announced by the Victorian Government last year.
The additional capacity to incarcerate children is needed due to recent bail reforms, which have led to a 40 per cent increase in the number of youth being held on remand.
The move has been criticised by Jesuit Social Services.
“This is a direct outcome of recent changes to bail laws which we highlighted at the time would drive up prisoner numbers while doing nothing to address the underlying drivers of crime,” Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie Edwards said.
“Expanding the state’s prison capacity is not something to be celebrated, it is evidence of systemic policy failures and of misplaced priorities.”
Inmates Help to Rebuild After Fires
Inmates at the Langi Kal Kal Prison have helped local communities rebuild after recent bushfires.
Incarcerated people working at the prison have helped to supply livestock feed and on-the-ground assistance to the Stoneleigh community, where local farmers were impacted.
The workers have delivered more than 60 hay bales to the community and helped to grow, cut, rake and bale the hay on site.
A further 110 hay bales have been delivered to communities impacted by fires in Longwood.
Inmates at Loddon Prison have helped the local council with recovery efforts following the Harcourt fires, including by building new fencing and clearing timber.
ACT
Digital Communication Services to Be Introduced
New digital communication services allowing those at the Alexander Manonochie Centre to make voice and video calls on a tablet are set to be launched.
ACT Corrective Services is planning to purchase a new digital services solution to help improve access to communications and education for those incarcerated in the territory.
The department will ask private companies to apply to supply the service in the coming months and is hoping to have signed a contract in the second half of this year.
TAS
Prison Lockdowns Hampering Court Cases
A man appealing a murder conviction has told a court that he has been unable to find a lawyer because of repeated lockdowns at Risdon Prison.
The man told the court that he hasn’t found an instructing solicitor because he has spent too much time in lockdown.
“We have no access to phones,” the man told the judge. “We can’t do anything. But I’m doing everything I possibly can.”
In 2024–25 people in prison in Tasmania received an average of seven hours outside of their cells per day, lower than the national average of 8.9 hours, according to the Productivity Commission.
The large majority of these lockdowns were listed as being because of staff shortages.
Plan to operate new youth prison
The Tasmanian Government has begun consulting on an operating model for the state’s new youth detention centre.
The government said it would adopt a “child first, offender second” approach, with small, “home-like” accommodation.
What the government has said will be a new “therapeutically-focused youth justice facility” will be constructed north of Hobart and will replace the existing Ashley Youth Detention Centre.
