Inmate lifts lid on ‘surprising’ canteen menu at Brisbane prison

A newly released prisoner in Queensland has shocked Aussies by sharing the jail’s canteen order form.

A prisoner has taken an interesting souvenir home upon her release from a Queensland prison and curious social media users are intrigued.

The woman’s friend, who she is currently staying with, shared a photo of the canteen order form from the high-security Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre on Reddit.

“It’s like Uber Eats, kinda. You order from the list, they deduct it from your account and send you the items,” the friend wrote.

The order form, dated August 19 this year, includes food as well as hygiene products, underwear and socks, jewellery, cosmetics and stationery.

Many shared their surprise at the reasonable prices.

A 200g tin of Milo costs $3.93 from the prison’s canteen, while at Woolworths and Coles the same product is $4.50. A 50 pack of Equal sweetener sachets is $3.65 behind bars and $4.20 on supermarket shelves. Fantastic rice crackers are $2 at the supermarket and $1.30 at the prison.

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Canteen order form at Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre. Picture: Reddit / u/Tabnum

Looking at confectionary, a Cadbury Dairy Milk or Old Gold Dark 180g block sells for $5 on the outside and $3.35 on the inside. A 45g KitKat is $2 in stores and $1.45 in prison. Tim Tams are $4 at Woolworths and $4.50 at Coles, but $3.89 at the prison.

However, not all prices are cheaper with a six pack of Sunbeam sultanas sold for $3.28 compared to $3 at Woolworths and Coles, and a 50 pack of Bushells black tea sold for $2.35 compared to $2.20.

Prisoners can pick up a birthday card and prepaid envelope for $1.92, a silver cross with a chain for $6.36 or a silver crucifix with a chain for $6.88, tinted moisturiser for $4.16, and a three pack of ankle socks for $11.73.

“Compared to what commissary items cost in the US, with their private prisons, it’s awkwardly heartwarming to see the correctional centres here not blatantly profiteering from the orders,” one person wrote in response to the menu.

“Yes some of those prices are cheaper than Woolies, like the Hans Salami sticks. But I don’t begrudge them that. The punishment is being in a cage,” wrote another.

The friend of the former prisoner replied saying she “completely agrees”.

“They also don’t gouge them for phone calls either. It’s only 10 cents a minute,” she added.

Inside Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre at Wacol. Picture: Rob Williams / The Queensland Times

Another person then pointed out: “After the initial relief wears off you realise that there still must be a lot of people locked up going without tampons and toothbrushes. Basic things like these should be free or at least close to it.”

A Colgate toothbrush is offered on the menu for $2.12 and a basic toothpaste for $3.37. Poise liners cost between $1.95 and $4.53.

The original poster also said her friend earned about $150 a week working in the facility.

“But there are jobs that pay more. Like the kitchen,” she said.

Queensland Corrective Services told news.com.au all women in the state’s prisons receive feminine hygiene products for free.

“A supply of other hygiene products is also supplied on arrival at Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre at no cost to the prisoner,” a spokeswoman said.

“All prisoners in Queensland receive a small weekly allowance to purchase basic personal hygiene products, and may be remunerated for employment within the prison.”

A cell inside the prison. Picture: Rob Williams / The Queensland Times

A commenter who said he served time in Brisbane Correctional Centre for men claimed their order form was similar but they weren’t allowed to wear jewellery and the hygiene, underwear and cosmetics sections were different.

“Something I used to make when I was in the workers’ unit was a kind of gooey hedgehog slice,” he said. “I made it every week so consistently that people started calling me Slice King, which is a hilariously misleading name when I tell people about it on the outside.”

He said the slice cost $12 to make and was great for trading with other prisoners.

“I’d usually end up trading only small bits for each of the ingredients, which meant I didn’t have to bother buying any on the next week,” he said.