Union calls for Elise Archer to resign over misleading prison assault comments

There have been calls for Corrections Minister Elise Archer to resign over prison assault denial claims. But she has hit back.

Corrections Minister Elise Archer has hit back at union claims she denied prison assaults took place over the Christmas to New Year period. Picture: Zak Simmonds

THE prison officers’ union has accused the Corrections Minister of misleading the public about prison assaults and has called on her to resign.

Minister Elise Archer said there had been “no series of assaults over the recent Christmas New Year period”.

But incident reports from the prison seen by the Mercury show 10 assaults recorded between Christmas and New Year.

They include three “Code Black” assaults on Christmas Day — one where a prisoner attacked three others — an attempted assault on a prison officer, and an assault on a prison officer which resulted in injuries and a report to police.

Of the ten people injured, four required hospital treatment.

The incident reports also reveal six incidents of self harm and a cell fire.

Jannette Armstrong from United Workers Union Tasmania. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

United Workers Union Tasmania spokeswoman Jannette Armstrong said the minister had misrepresented what is happening in the state’s prisons.

“For the minister to come out and make these comments and denials is incomprehensible,” she said.

“She needs to correct the record and then step down and hand the job over to someone who can actually do it.

“Our members feel incredibly disrespected by this response from the minister, it’s very, very damaging. It’s already pretty tense out there and our members need to feel support by the minister and by their employer and they absolutely don’t.

“They already stated last year they didn’t have confidence in the minister and this will just exacerbate those feelings.

“The prison is in a crisis and them minister is refusing to listen to what the correctional officers are working in that prison every day are saying.”

Ten incidents between inmates within the Risdon facility occurred over the Christmas New Year period. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

Ms Archer subsequently clarified that she meant “serious” assaults.

“The union claims that I have denied that assaults took place over the Christmas to New Year period are completely false,” she said.

“There has been no series of serious assaults over the Christmas to New Year period.

“Over that period, there was one reported incident of assault on a member of correctional staff on December 30. That staff member was taken to hospital as a precaution, but was not admitted.

“It is disappointing that 10 incidents between inmates within the Risdon facility occurred over the Christmas New Year period, all of which were dealt with professionally and appropriately by correctional officers. There were no admissions to hospital.

“These types of incidents are not unexpected in any correctional facility.”

Union attempts to seek a meeting with Ms Archer to address complaints of chronic understaffing in the state’s prison system have been unsuccessful.

“It’s just inflammatory to be honest when we are trying to engage in a productive relationship with her about the prison and how unions and the government can work together to ensure a safe, healthy and effective prison system for everybody in it,” Ms Armstrong said.

The union says Hobart Reception Prison is at 131 per cent of its maximum operating capacity and Risdon Prison Complex at 105 per cent.