Heads of Tasmanian prisons to give evidence at Legislative Council inquiry

The heads of Tasmania’s justice system, including a bureaucrat who was at the helm of corrections during Melbourne’s gangland wars, will give evidence into troubles plaguing the island’s prisons.

Attorney-General says the problems in Tasmania’s corrections system get an unfortunate amount of publicity. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The heads of Tasmania’s justice system, including a senior bureaucrat who was at the helm of corrections during Melbourne’s gangland wars, will this week give evidence at an inquiry into the troubles plaguing the island’s prisons.

The Legislative Council inquiry into Tasmanian adult imprisonment and youth detention will continue on Thursday after holding public hearings last month.

Thursday’s session will hear critical evidence from Attorney-General Elise Archer, Department of Justice secretary Ginna Webster, and Director of Prisons Ian Thomas.

The head of corrective services, deputy secretary Rod Wise, will also give evidence.

Mr Wise notably previously worked in an almost identical role in Victoria before moving to Tasmania in 2021.

The Mercury previously reported Mr Wise had allowed notorious Melbourne gangland figure Carl Williams to share a prison unit with the man who ultimately murdered him, Matthew Charles Johnson.

A report by the Victorian Ombudsman named Mr Wise and former Department of Justice secretary Penny Armytage as having both been aware of the potential threat Johnson faced to Williams.

Johnson bashed Williams to death with the stem of an exercise bike seat at Barwon Prison during 2010.

Head of Tasmania’s corrective services, Rod Wise. Supplied.

In her submission to the inquiry, Ms Archer said it was unfortunate that often only the negatives of Tasmania’s corrections system were publicised or reported on.

“The complexity of the corrections system means that positive change can be slow, but it does not mean positive change is not happening,” she said.

Ms Archer said one of her key focuses was on increasing the number of correctional officers, and that the government had committed more than $415 million on three major prison infrastructure projects.

She said these included the now fully-operational Southern Remand Centre at Risdon Prison, a new Northern Correctional Facility and a new 50-bed maximum security unit, also at Risdon.

Ms Archer said funding had also been provided to construct a dedicated health facility and upgrade existing shared facilities at Risdon including the gatehouse, prisoner processing and visitor centre, plus a new kitchen.

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