TOWNSVILLE’S scandal-plagued jail has lost yet another general manager amid bombshell allegations of inappropriate conduct, just as an independent review into its workplace culture is due to begin.
Townsville Correctional Centre general manager Peter Hall was suspended on full pay yesterday morning after being accused of having “inappropriate relationships” with a staff member. He could not be contacted for comment.
Mr Hall, who had been in the job for just over two years, was the second* permanent general manager appointed at the jail since his predecessor Andrew Pike resigned in disgrace after an alleged sex scandal.
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The Townsville Bulletin has reported for months on the bitter blame game between prison management and staff, who say there is a toxic and unsafe workplace culture.
Queensland Corrective Services have previously said there were cultural issues at the jail, but claimed these were ongoing “historical” problems.
But the head of Queensland Corrective Services has now announced an independent review into the issues at the jail.
Queensland Corrective Services commissioner Peter Martin refused to delve into the detail of the investigation into Mr Hall beyond confirming the inappropriate conduct had been toward a colleague.
According to prison sources, the accusations against Mr Hall are alleged to involve a junior female staff member, including sending photos of himself lounging around at his house and video calling her from his work phone in his office, resulting in his device being confiscated in recent days.
Mr Martin said the information leading to the suspension had come to light “very recently”.
“I expect the highest standards of propriety with respect to employees of QCS, particularly with respect to senior officers,” he said.
“So allegations of this nature are disturbing and distressing … but certainly they are not proven and we need to be aware of that.”
Mr Hall is now subject to an internal ethical standards investigation and, by virtue of being a public servant, one by the Crime and Corruption Commission.
The Townsville Bulletin does not suggest any wrongdoing by Mr Hall.
Mr Martin, who flew into Townsville from Brisbane yesterday to deal with the allegations as they were made public, revealed he had ordered externals consultants, prior to this incident, to conduct a review into the prison so that staff could air their grievances, “real or perceived”, in a confidential setting.
“(This will) ultimately enable us to give effect to the sort of change that needs to occur here as we position the centre for the future,” he said.
In a damning workplace survey completed late last year, 70 per cent of Townsville prison staff disagreed that the jail was well managed and more than two-thirds did not believe their managers were operating with a high level of integrity
The review is due to start shortly and will be completed with a couple of months.
But the findings will not be made public, with Burdekin MP Dale Last, who has been advocating for a full transparent review, saying it stunk “of a cover up”.
“Here is yet more evidence that (Corrections) Minister Mark Ryan is not up to the job of protecting the community and he has clearly put the Townsville Correctional Centre in the too hard basket.”
Mr Ryan, in a statement, said he respected Mr Martin’s decision and declined further comment inappropriate while investigations were ongoing.
No time frame has been put on the investigations into Mr Hall, with acting chief superintendent Louise Kneeshaw to fill his role in the interim.
*Correction: The initial version of this story said Mr Hall was the first permanent general manager at Townsville Correctional Centre since Andrew Pike. This is incorrect. Jon Francis-Jones was the general manager of the prison between November 2014 and July 2017.
TIMELINE OF PRISON INCIDENTS
May 2014: Disgraced Townsville Correctional Centre manager Andrew Pike quits while being investigated for alleged misconduct from a prison sex scandal. Mr Pike had an extramarital affair with a co-worker half his age, 23-year-old Samantha Wallis.
July 11, 2015: A prison guard and prisoner were injured during a scuffle involving up to 10 prisoners, with one of them allegedly armed with a screwdriver.
December 26, 2015: Queensland Police investigate the death of a prisoner in a Townsville jail.
December 30, 2015: Three men escaped from Townsville Correctional Farm at Stuart, catching a taxi from Fairfield Waters to Vincent. They then stole a vehicle from Heatley and evaded police on the Bruce Highway at Koumala, near Mackay, eventually being arrested by police in Gympie about 8.10pm on December 31.
October 24, 2016: Several prisoners were injured when more than a dozen women rioted for more than an hour armed with makeshift weapons, including broom handles, buckets and wooden pickets.
May 17, 2017: Overcrowding at Townsville Correctional Centre is leading to fights between inmates as many are forced to sleep on the floor in packed cells.
September 19, 2017: Ashley Glenfield Gavenor, 48, an indigenous elder, died in the high-security wing of Townsville Correctional Centre died following a fist fight inside the prison. His death became the subject of an inquest.
April 18, 2018: Staff at the men’s and women’s prisons go on strike demanding body vests, body cameras and tear gas after tools went missing from a workshop over the weekend.
October 21, 2018: Geoffrey John Campbell, 39, was on the run for almost two weeks after escaping from a Townsville Correctional Centre facility.
November 12, 2018: The prison went into lockdown after two male inmates climbed on to a roof at the facility.
March 29, 2019: The correctional centre was placed in lockdown as officers searched for weapons following a possible needle attack on staff the day prior.
June 19, 2019: The safety of Townsville’s prisons is being compromised by an underground drug trade, according to the union representing Queensland Corrective Services staff.
June 27, 2019: A prison guard investigated amid allegations he had sex with an inmate’s wife on or near the grounds of the Townsville Correctional Centre Farm.
July 4, 2019: 47-year-old prisoner found dead in his cell.
July 5, 2019: A letter from prison staff alleging the jail was a “toxic and vile workplace culture that every manager has to take responsibility for” sent to Townsville MP Scott Stewart, who forwards it on to CCC. CCC sends letter back to QCS for investigation.
August 8, 2019: A prison officer is suspended after allegedly deliberately impeding security cameras during an incident at the centre in March 2018.
October 7, 2019: Bohdi Johnson, 23, goes on the run for nearly a week after escaping from the low-security prison farm.
November 18, 2019: Prison officer suffered bruising and swelling after being assaulted by non-compliant inmate.
November 24, 2019: Internal documents reveal safety and security of Townsville prison staff were allegedly put at risk and management failed to provide “adequate support” during the catastrophic February floods. The internal investigation was reopened a few weeks later.
January 5, 2020: Three prisoners escape from the low-security prison farm, with a leaked email revealing prison intelligence knew one of the men, Alex Leroy Ryan, had plans to run away. Prisoner Anthony James Parkinson, 22, remains on the run to this day.
January 20, 2020: Townsville Correction Centre general manager Peter Hall suspended amid ethical investigation relating to alleged misconduct.
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