Media Releases

Comment on incident at Hakea Prison

  Quotes attributed to WAPOU Secretary Andy Smith: “The WA Prison Officers’ Union is offering support to the officers who were brutally attackedat Hakea Prison yesterday morning. “We understand three officers were attacked on Tuesda ...

Comment on incident at Hakea Prison

The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) is offering support to our members following the death in custody of a prisoner at Hakea Prison this morning. WAPOU Secretary Andy Smith said while it would not be appropriate to comment on the specifics of the ...

Acacia Prison officers launch industrial action

Prison officers at Acacia Prison will begin industrial action this morning (Friday October 28) after rejecting a pay offer from Serco last week. Officers will take part in a number of actions which will last for one week. The most disruptive will incl ...

Prisoners ‘one fence from freedom’ in Acacia riot

The WA Prison Officers’ Union says prisoners at Acacia came within one fence away from freedom during a prison riot last night. A riot broke out when prisoners with COVID were being moved into a different unit. Three prison officers were sent to hos ...

Riot at Acacia as covid brings staffing levels to boiling point

The WA Prison Officers’ Union has confirmed a riot has broken out at Acacia Prison after prisoners were moved under COVID regulations. It is understood the riot broke out when prisoners with COVID were being moved into a different unit. WAPOU Secret ...

Serious attack on prison officers at Casuarina

The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) is calling for the government to respect the risk prison officers face after a prisoner at Casuarina assaulted three prison officers in less than a week. One male prison officer suffered a broken nose, a badly c ...

Prison officer tests positive for Covid

The WA Prison Officers’ Union has confirmed a prison officer has tested positive for COVID-19 while on duty. The prison officer, who works at Acacia Prison, began feeling ill while on shift yesterday and isolated while awaiting the results of a Rapi ...

Riot at Casuarina as prison reaches boiling point

The WA Prison Officers’ Union warned the Minister of Corrective Services of the risk of a riotin WA jails, just hours before a wing at Casuarina Prison was trashed. It happened just after 6PM last night when dozens of prisoners in the segregation un ...

Prison officer attacked in Bunbury

The WA Prison Officers Union is calling for the government to respect the risk prison officersface after an officer was left hospitalised at the weekend. The male prison officer was attempting to handcuff a male prisoner on Saturday when he wasgrabbed and ...

Department of justice failed in staffing prison

The WA Prison Officers’ Union has condemned the mismanagement of staffing at WA prisons, following a report by the Inspector of Custodial Services into Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison (EGRP). The report highlights the issues WAPOU has been fig ...

Treasury Horrendously Miscalculates Prison Budget

The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) says the WA State Government has once again turneda blind eye to the needs of WA prisons, in today’s Budget. The government’s extension of the State Wages Policy is an unnecessary slap in the face to ...

Derby prison break could have led to Greenough style riot

The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) has warned a prison break at the West Kimberley Regional Prison could have resulted in another devastating Greenough style riot. The incident happened on Thursday the 23rd of July just before 5pm, when a prison ...

WAPOU welcomes new plans for Greenough Regional Prison

The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) has welcomed the State Government’s announcement of a safer entrance for female prisoners at Greenough Regional Prison. The new female estate is currently being built at the jail after the original wa ...

Acacia Prison Scanner Too Invasive

The WA Prison Officers’ Union is calling for an invasive body scanner at Acacia Prison to be used more appropriately and focus on prisoners, instead of staff and members of the public.  Industrial action at Acacia was narrowly avoided at the we ...

Prisons must not loosen COVID-19 restrictions

The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) warns one COVID-19 case inside WA prisons could create a breeding ground for the virus in WA. WAPOU is urging both the government and Department of Justice to maintain consistent restrictions across all WA priso ...