The Source: Push on to refer to Victoria’s prisoners a ‘neighbours’

It may soon be considered too triggering to refer to Victoria’s convicted murderers and rapists as prisoners as a push grows to call our jailbirds “neighbours”.

Victoria’s jailbirds could soon be referred to as ‘neighbours’.

Is the word “prisoner” on death row?

The Source has sighted evidence of a push to use the word “neighbours” instead of more traditional terms, such as “prisoners”, “inmates” or “convicts”, for those sorry souls who go to jail — or rather, be “in our care”, as Corrections Victoria prefers to call it.

Sadly, this kind of weasel wording in the incarceration industry replicates overseas experiences.

Last year, British prison governors were told to stop calling prisoners prisoners and instead refer to them as “residents”, “clients” and “service-users”.

Government officials there declared that public confidence in the prison system was being eroded by such “woke” language.

Is “neighbours” even more insidious, given the word instantly triggers the playing of the TV theme song in your head, to which you may well become prisoner for the rest of the day?

Then again, as Barry Crocker sang, “next door is only a footstep away”.

Heard something? Let us know [e-mail]

Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda. Picture: AFP

Not an uplifting experience

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda got stuck in a lift for 20 minutes before he was due to address a special event held for him by state trade and business body Global Victoria at the 55 Collins St tower.

About 100 business, trade and academic representatives waited patiently on the 46th floor while the fire brigade was called to rescue the President and his delegation. (It appears that too many people got in the lift).

But Mr Nauseda made light of the incident after marching into the event and declaring: “The elevator is nothing compared to the intense political competition inside my country”.

After chatting to participants the president was whisked off to a meeting with Victorian Governor Margaret Gardner.

Lithuania is a staunch ally of Ukraine and that issue will be discussed with PM Albanese when the two leaders meet in Canberra on Thursday.

The brief visit to Australia had the aim of strengthening trade, business and education links between Australia and the Baltic country.