Media Releases

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 ...

WA Prisons need faster action on Covid-19 to avoid mass outbreak

The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) warns a COVID-19 outbreak in WA prisons could wreak havoc on the already struggling system. The first prisoner claiming to have coronavirus was transported to Hakea Prison yesterday where he remains in isolation ...

Prison Officers Stop Riot at Understaffed Wooroloo Prison Farm

The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) has commended the professionalism of prison officers involved in a major disturbance at Wooroloo Prison Farm overnight. Prison officers were forced to risk their own lives to put out a number of fires started by ...

Hake at risk of serious incident due to overcrowding

The WA Prison Officers’ Union has warned of more serious incidents at Hakea Prison as overcrowding reaches an all-time high.  WAPOU is concerned for the safety of prison officers and other staff working at the maximum-security prison with the p ...

Record Number of Prison Officers Ride

A record number of prison officers will be joined by their families, members of the WA Police Union and government officials to take part in the third consecutive Stand T.A.L.R (Talk, Ask, Listen, Refer) Ride. In a show of solidarity more than 170 partici ...