Parliament protest forces Attorney-General to extend funding for women’s prison program

FORMER inmates of the Darwin Correctional Centre rallied against the cutting of a program they say kept them out of jail, forcing the government to extend their funding

Sally Endemann, Case Pearson, Katherine Marchment, Rocket Bretherton and Noelene Armstrong protesting funding cuts to the Women of Worth program. Picture: Madura McCormack

FORMER inmates of the Darwin Correctional Centre have rallied outside Parliament House against the cutting of a program they say kept them out of jail, forcing the government to extend their funding for another six months.

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The program was set to be axed on February 28, but in response to Wednesday’s outcry, Attorney-General Selema Uibo said negotiations were underway to extend funding to June.

“This will allow for consideration of further funding of Women of Worth to take place during the 2021 Budget Cabinet process,” she said.

Sally Endemann, Case Pearson, Katherine Marchment, Rocket Bretherton and Noelene Armstrong protesting funding cuts to the Women of Worth program. Picture: Madura McCormack

The Women of Worth program has run for several years to support female prisoners in the Darwin Correctional Centre and for 12 months after they leave.

Former inmate and rally organiser Rocket Bretherton said she “would probably not be on her journey of recovery” without the program after spending most of her adult life in and out of jail.

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A 2017 evaluation of the program found it had a dramatically positive impact on rates of recidivist offending, with only three per cent of clients returning to prison.