NSW prisons: Corrective Services propose mandatory Covid-19 vaccination of inmates

Inmates locked up inside prisons across NSW could soon be forced to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Have your say in our poll

Prisoners in correctional facilities across NSW could soon be forced to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in an effort to prevent further outbreaks — which have already infected close to 350 inmates.

This week, acting corrections commissioner Kevin Corcoran told staff in an email the department was investigating the “practical and legal issues” involved in enforcing mandatory vaccinations for inmates.

Frontline staff at Sydney’s Silverwater Prison are teaching inmates forensic cleaning skills as an additional measure to help keep COVID-19 outside prison walls. Supplied images

“Last week we introduced mandatory vaccination of staff to make your workplaces safer,” Mr Corcoran said. “The question has been raised about inmates — should they be subject to mandatory vaccination too?

“It’s a good question, but there are some practical and legal issues involved. We are currently looking into that, and I’ll be talking to the PSA later this week.”

The acting commissioner said Justice Health and Corrective Services were curing for 184 active cases of Covid-positive inmates.

NSW Corrective Services acting commissioner Kevin Corcoran.

“You are doing a great job,” he told department managers. “165 other inmates have had Covid already and are now cleared.

“Almost none had to go to hospital.”

Public Service Association general secretary Stuart Little confirmed representatives of Corrective Services met with the union over plans to enforce mandatory vaccinations to inmates.

“We are not advocating for inmates to be held down and restrained to be vaccinated,” Mr Little told NewsCorp. “If inmates refuse, it is our understanding that they will have to be isolated — kept away from the general population — and some of the freedoms like face-to-face visitations and in-person representation in court would not be available to them.”

Mr Little said he anticipated work release for inmates would also be rejected if they refused to be vaccinated.

PSA general secretary Stuart Little.

“Every risk assessment, from our point of view, has shown mandatory vaccinations of inmates is critical — it to be done on health and safety grounds to protect our officers and the wider public,” he said. “We have told Corrective Services that the obligation is on the government to apply the same, safe plan for mandatory vaccinations that they have applied to Corrections Officers.”

The general secretary said the union has also called for anyone visiting inmates must also be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Corrections Minister Anthony Roberts has defended the department’s handling of the Covid-19 outbreak.

COVID 19 Field Hospital inside Silverwater correctional centre in Silverwater. Picture: Angelo Velardo

“Not unlike hospitals, schools, shops, aged care facilities and police stations, Covid did eventually break into the remand prison system despite our best efforts over the last 18 months,” he said.

“Some have criticised corrections for not keeping Covid out of the system but I am incredibly proud of the fact that we were the last of the frontline sectors to have Covid enter, despite many thinking we would be the first.

Anthony Roberts MP, Minister Counter Terrorism and Corrections. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

“If there was ever a time when we needed to look after each other, and ourselves, this is it. We have staff in hospital with Covid. We have family members who’ve been hospitalised. We’ve had literally hundreds of staff in anxious isolation, as they wait for the results of tests.”

Mr Roberts said officers “have held the prison system together”.

“On behalf of the Government and the people of New South Wales, I thank you for that,” he said. “We’ve had our problems, but I’ve been impressed by the way you managers have developed solutions, and involved staff and the union in that process.”

Frontline staff at Sydney’s Silverwater Prison are teaching inmates forensic cleaning skills as an additional measure to help keep Covid-19 outside prison walls. Supplied images

Inmate advocate Joanna Scriven said Corrective Services needed to provide rapid antigen screening to inmates and family members before face-to-face visits.

“Whether inmate vaccinations are mandatory or not it is too little too late by the department,” she said. “Hundreds of inmates have already been infected and the department failed to control the situation at one facility, let alone all the rest.”