NSW prisons inspector Fiona Rafter set to be named Queensland’s new parole Board boss

A NSW prisons inspector is set to be appointed Queensland’s new parole board boss following the controversial departure of Michael Byrne KC

NSW Inspector of Custodial Services Fiona Rafter is set to be appointed Queensland’s new parole board boss.

A NSW prisons inspector who called for a maximum security jail to be shut down and an end to “over-punishment” of youth offenders is set to be appointed Queensland’s new Parole Board boss.

NSW Inspector of Custodial Services Fiona Rafter, wife of Labor-appointed District Court judge Anthony Rafter, was endorsed by Cabinet on Monday as Queensland Parole Board president, legal sources said.

Her appointment, expected to be announced this week before the Miles government goes into caretaker mode before next month’s state election, follows the controversial departure of former president Michael Byrne KC.

Mr Byrne resigned suddenly in June after seven years in the job.

During fiery parliamentary estimates hearings last month, Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd was grilled over how Mr Byrne was able to resign on a $210,000-a-year pension after being referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission over allegations a spousal allowance was paid to a woman who was not his wife.

Former Queensland Parole Board president Michael Byrne.

Documents tabled in parliament by the Opposition claimed Mr Byrne was in a romantic relationship with a Labor government staffer before he was referred to the CCC.

Mr Byrne is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Ms Rafter is a lawyer with more than 30 years’ experience who spent six years with Legal Aid in Queensland before becoming a legal adviser to the Queensland Corrective Services department. She also spent six years helping resolve inmate complaints as an “official visitor” to Brisbane prisons.

While in Queensland, Ms Rafter also reviewed corrective services’ legislation and provided oversight of prison performance monitoring and the complaints management system.

She was appointed NSW Inspector of Custodial Services, a role requiring her to inspect and review adult and juvenile prisons and report to parliament, in 2016.

Ms Rafter was also a Newman government appointment as the executive director of the Public Service Business Agency in 2015.

Earlier this year, she called for the maximum security Cessnock prison to be shut down over concerns that inmates were living in conditions that failed basic “amenity and dignity” standards.

Ms Rafter also called for an overhaul of confinement rules at the state’s juvenile detention centres over concerns young offenders were being “unnecessarily” locked in rooms for “minor misbehaviour” such as swearing.

A report by Ms Rafter earlier this year also called for an overhaul of NSW’s two women’s prisons to address dilapidated facilities, staff burnout and unnecessary strip searches – but did not make any findings into how a male prison guard was able to sexually assault and rape nine inmates.

Opposition integrity spokeswoman Fiona Simpson had called for the appointment of a new Parole Board president to be delayed until after next month’s state election “instead of rushing through appointments at the 11th hour”.

The LNP would not say if it would seek to overturn the appointment if it wins power at the October 26 poll.

Current Parole Board deputy president Peter Shields had been considered a favourite to be elevated.

Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd.

A spokesman for Ms Boyd said the government was “undertaking the required steps, similar to any government appointment”.

“As this role is appointed by (the) Governor in Council it would be inappropriate to comment further,” he said.