Escape Clause
Newcastle Herald
Monday December 15, 2008
A CORRECTIONS company that has expressed interest in running Cessnock jail has a contract with the West Australian Government containing a clause that allows for escapes, deaths in custody and even riots at the prison it runs outside Perth.
Serco, a British firm linked to the former head of the NSW cabinet office, Gary Sturgess, is a likely bidder to run Cessnock or Parklea jails, which the NSW Government plans to privatise next year. "We are certainly interested in both privatisations," Serco spokeswoman Emma Needham said. "But we have not yet made a firm a decision."She said it was company policy not to comment on the details of its 2006 contract to run Acacia prison in Perth. It is understood the Coalition, the Greens and the Shooters Party have agreed to establish an enquiry in the Upper House, to be announced later this week, into the privatisation. Under an agreement with the WA Department of Corrective Services, Serco is permitted an annual quota of incidents before it risks a penalty, including the termination of its contract. NSW already has a contract with the GEO Group Australia to run Junee Correctional Centre. The contract is commercial-in-confidence, but a spokeswoman for the Justice Minister, John Hatzistergos, said it "does not contain such clauses". "The NSW Government will not accept terms like these in any contract for the private management of any of the state's prisons." But the Public Service Association, which represents prison officers, fears a deal with private operators will weaken security. Senior industrial officer Stewart Little said while escapes, deaths and disturbances occur in government-run jails, "there is no such thing as an acceptable quota of escapes or riots". SMH
© 2008 Newcastle Herald