NO CONTACT: prison officers refuse contact visits over Covid fears

Frustrated prison officers have taken extreme measures as vaccination requirements at Queensland jails are dropped.

Frustrated prison officers are refusing to allow contact visits — making inmates speak to family and friends via glass walls – after authorities dropped the need for visitors to be vaccinated.

The Courier-Mail has been told at least half the state’s jails are making the visits non-contact after a revolt from staff who said they won’t allow normal visits until proper “risk controls” are added for visitors.

The fury comes from officers who say at the same time they are still required to be vaccinated, with 80 staff being suspended or on leave for not showing their vaccination status.

“When the mandate lifted, statewide visits processing were ringing off the hook now you don’t need to be vaccinated,” an officer told The Courier-Mail.

“It makes us believe that most prisoner relatives are not vaccinated.

“They have lifted the vaccination requirements for visitors with no extra control measures put into place nor with consultation with staff.”

Assistant secretary of the Together union Michael Thomas said control measures should include extra officers to monitor visits to ensure social distancing was maintained and unnecessary contact was limited.

“Where do we have concerns is simply dropping all controls for unvaccinated visitors to come in, we are putting centres at unnecessary risk of having Covid introduced,” he said.

“We’re seeking the department reviews the controls around unvaccinated visitors to ensure we can minimise the risk of Covid unnecessarily spreading in jails. “

Queensland Corrective Services mandated vaccination for staff, requiring them to show proof to be able to work in centres.

There are currently 80 officers who are on leave or suspended for not showing proof of vaccination.

Mr Thomas said the issue of vaccinations had been contentious however a ballot of members over the employer vaccine mandate was supported by a majority of members.

An officer told The Courier-Mail the staff were still being paid but are facing discipline processes.

It is understood other jails will have staff meetings today over the contact visits.

A Queensland Corrective Services spokeswoman said the policy settings for visitors had been aligned with other vulnerable workplaces such as hospitals, aged care facilities and youth detention facilities.

“Existing Covid-19 control measures such as mask wearing, social distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene remain in place for correctional centre visits to protect staff, prisoners and visitors,” the spokeswoman said.

“An ongoing requirement for correctional facility staff to be vaccinated follows a risk assessment in consultation with employees and is based on workplace health and safety obligations to minimise risk and to maintain an essential workforce as a public safety agency.”