‘Not a good idea’: CLP corrections policy comes under fire

The CLP says ‘jailing is not failing’ as it expands on its promise to build more prisons in the NT, while stopping short of a full commitment to the Aboriginal Justice Agreement.

NT Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro announces the CLP corrections policy going into the August election. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The CLP says ‘jailing is not failing’ as it expands on its promise to build more prisons in the Northern Territory, while stopping short of a full commitment to the Aboriginal Justice Agreement in its corrections policy.

If elected in August, the CLP has pledged to build two new women’s prisons, expand sentencing options and rehabilitation programs, extend access to programs to those on remand, and impose stronger penalties for crimes.

Speaking on Thursday, party leader Lia Finocchiaro said the new facilities would be built at existing prison complexes in Holtze, Darwin, and at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre.

NT Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro and Deputy Leader Gerard Maley announce the CLP corrections policy going into the August election. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said there was “nothing new” in the CLP policy.

“We’ve already got two new women’s prisons,” she said.

Ms Lawler said her government had not pursued another prison the size of Holtze as it would likely cost between $800m and $1bn.

“What we’ve been doing is making sure that the facilities that we’ve got can be expanded,” she said.

Ms Lawler said Labor had extended work camps, announced new youth justice facilities, and established initiatives to get inmates into work.

“Sixty-five per cent of people in our prisons are there for domestic violence, so the work that we’re doing with the federal government around reducing DV incidents will hopefully have an impact on our prison numbers.”

Ms Finocchiaro would not put a figure on the cost of the CLP’s prison plan, but said the new builds would be “much smaller” than Holtze.

She said a shortage of prison beds was “a simple infrastructure deficit” that Labor “haven’t been able to bring themselves” to address for ideological reasons.

“(Deputy Chief Minister Chansey Paech) wanders around wearing T-shirts saying ‘jailing is failing’.

“Well, Territorians don’t think jailing is failing, and in fact, we need to make our streets safer.”

Ms Finocchiaro said the sites earmarked for Labor’s new prisons should continue to operate as rehabilitation centres, but would not commit to reversing the government’s decision if elected.

She also said the CLP saw “no future” for correctional facilities at Berrimah, while avoiding a promise to bulldoze the current Don Dale youth prison.

The CLP was “unable” to consult with the leaders behind the Aboriginal Justice Agreement when developing its policy, but “large elements” of the party’s plan were in line with the agreement, Ms Finocchiaro said.

“It’s something we take very seriously.”

The CLP would not commit to bulldozing Don Dale. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

Charles Darwin University Law lecturer Shelley Eder said the trend from both sides of politics towards more prisons was “worrying”, and proven not to prevent crime.

“Of course issues of anti-social behaviour that are happening now need to be addressed, but building more prisons seems to be the long-term strategy, rather than a focus on the real causes of crime,” she said.

Ms Eder praised the CLP’s plan to extend programs to people on remand and to give the courts more sentencing options, but said moves to compulsory programs and mandatory sentencing were “not a good thing”.

“Anything that ties the court’s hand is not a good idea, they’re the ones with access to a lot more information about the offender and the crime, they’re in a better place to make decisions.”

The CLP would build a new women’s prison at the Darwin Correctional Precinct in Holtze. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency said “the NT – already the nation’s leader when it comes to imprisonment rates – does not need more prisons”.

“Evidence shows that the younger a person is when they first come into contact with the system, the more likely they are to cycle in and out of prison throughout their life,” a spokeswoman said.

“We need to be smarter, and that means more investment in real justice alternatives that have been proven to work, such as diversion, drug and alcohol counselling, mental health services, safe and adequate housing, and training and employment.”