13th August 2024 12:25pm
Victorian Legislative Council, Melbourne
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan):
My question is to the Minister for Corrections, and it relates to the cost of phone calls in Victorian prisons. Father’s Day is in two weeks, and thousands of children with parents in Victorian jails will not get a call from Dad because of the prohibitive cost. Calls in Victorian jails are the highest in the country, with a 12-minute phone call costing $7.
To put that in some context, inmates can only earn a maximum of $9.60 a day, and that is money that they need for all of their expenses. The government has already agreed in principle with the Yoorrook Justice Commission recommendation to immediately take all necessary steps to ensure prisoners, including Aboriginal prisoners, can make telephone calls for free or at no greater cost than the general community.
I ask: what is the government doing to make phone calls cheaper in Victorian jails?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support):
I thank Mr Ettershank for his question and his interest in this matter. As a government we are proud to be investing in our corrections system, and I know that particularly the COVID period was a difficult period where people could not see their relatives in correctional centres in person.
There are a number of ways that people can see and connect with family, because we know that to get the best result for people in our corrections system it is about connection to community. Connection to family is a key factor in assisting someone’s rehabilitation, and that is why we have invested in new technologies at our new custodial facilities with opportunities to connect via Zoom and make use of those technologies that we utilised during the pandemic and that we have continued at many of our premises with the return to in-person visits. But you are correct about the cost of calls.
I had the privilege and honour of appearing before the Yoorrook commission last year, and I stated my view that the cost of calls in custodial settings should be lower. It is a matter I have raised with the department. As we speak I am waiting for an updated brief on how we can bring that to fruition, understanding that the settings and tools were used to monitor calls. There is a technology in place that is needed to appropriately manage the risks in those settings. But at the moment I have asked for a brief, and I am happy, offline, to update you on where we progress with that.
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan):
I thank the minister for his response. There is a mountain of evidence demonstrating that connection with family and friends outside of prison reduces anxiety and depression amongst inmates. Family connection supports prisoners in their rehabilitation and reintegration into the community. It reduces recidivism, and it has also been shown to reduce the number of violent incidents in jail.
For incarcerated parents, regular phone calls enable them to not only maintain but significantly strengthen their relationships with their children, which of course also greatly improves the health and wellbeing of their child. Jurisdictions in the US and UK have introduced free phone calls in prisons and are noticing the positive differences that makes to the lives of inmates, so I ask: will the government make phone calls in prison free this Father’s Day and then look to make them free all year round?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support):
I thank Mr Ettershank for his supplementary question, and I do agree that connection to family and community is a key rehabilitative factor. It is why as minister I made the point at Yoorrook and I stand today saying I believe the cost of calls should be cheaper.
In terms of all those options, I have asked for a brief from the department, and I eagerly await that detailed response from the department. I am happy to have a discussion, Mr Ettershank, to continue this conversation, because it is important. We have implemented new technologies where people have a free option via the internet.
There are other options for in-person visits. But the cost of phone calls is something that I am very acutely aware of and I am committed to addressing.
(Mr Ettershank interjected.)
Enver ERDOGAN: It will not be ready by Father’s Day.
[ENDS]
