SA corrections boss leaves door open for disciplinary action over prison guard protest
THE state’s corrections boss has left the door open for disciplinary action to be taken against prison staff who abused a co-worker during Monday’s industrial action.
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THE state’s corrections boss has left the door open for disciplinary action to be taken against prison staff who abused a co-worker during Monday’s industrial action.
Correctional Services Department chief executive David Brown said the vision of chanting prison officers yelling “shame” and “scab” at a worker staffing the Adelaide Remand Centre during the prison lockdown “speaks for itself”.
Mr Brown told The Advertiser he would be reviewing the footage and the conduct of the officers involved.
Asked directly if the behaviour breached the code of ethics corrections staffers are subject to, Mr Brown said it “speaks for itself”.
“The response from the community reflects that it’s not the kind of behaviour they want corrections staff to display,” he said.
Mr Brown said the staffer who had abuse hurled at him was a senior security and project officer with more than 33 years experience, who had previously worked as a correctional officer.
He said the worker showed “amazing restraint” while he was yelled at, and he had every confidence he would continue to perform his duties going forward.
Public Service Association secretary Nev Kitchin told ABC Radio the behaviour was not “one of our finest moments” but highlighted the passion of his members, who were protesting the Government’s plan to privatise the operations of the Adelaide Remand Centre.
“Oh look, I understand the passion and I understand the rage that is behind that, that is certainly not what we’d like to see,” he said.
“But you need to clearly understand that from the members perspective they see their careers and they see their futures under attack so I can fully understand why they were so enraged.
You need to understand the Corrections is a unique environment, there are other areas of government and this is the way, sadly, it’s going to unfold. And the Minister (Treasurer Rob Lucas) has made it very clear he doesn’t care.”
Mr Kitchin said the incident was “clearly a case where a breach of the code of ethics may be undertaken by the government of the day”, but it was up to it and the Correctional Services Department.
Mr Brown said it was a “challenging time” given the PSA had forecast further industrial action, but said staff across the state were “getting on with the job” after the lockdown ended on Tuesday morning.
He also stressed all staff at the Adelaide Remand Centre were guaranteed employment in the public prison service.