Media Releases
Stabbing of prison officers highlights mental health issues in prisons
The WA Prison Officers’ Union says the stabbing of two prison officers on the weekend highlighted the increasing danger of dealing with mentally ill prisoners.Three prison officers were attacked by a prisoner at Casuarina prison on Saturday.One officer ...
Union calls for MPs not to vote for Prison Officers Bill
The WA Prison Officers’ Union has called on Lower House MP’s not to vote for the Prison Officers Discipline Bill, which is set to be debated in parliament this week.The Custodial Legislation (Officers Discipline) Amendment Bill 2013 includes removing ...
Report into Geraldton escape raises more questions than it answers
The WA Prison Officers’ Union has called for the State Government to release the full report into the escape of two prisoners in Geraldton, after the Executive Summary was tabled in Parliament.WAPOU Secretary John Welch said the flimsy 2 1⁄2 page Summ ...
WA prisons: short on space and staff
The WA Prison Officers’ Union has called for the government to open four empty prison units to alleviate overcrowding in the state’s prison system.The Union’s Secretary John Welch said the government had spent $67 million dollars building five new p ...
Leaked documents reveal prison privatisation agenda
The WA Prison Officers’ Union is shocked by a document which recommends privatising more prison services and reducing the drug testing of prisoners to save the government money.The document is a summary of budget savings drawn up by the Corrective Servi ...
Report reveals Serco incompetence led to prisoner escape
The WA Prison Officers’ Union has called for private contractor Serco to be stripped of its prisoner transport contract, after the Corrective Services Commissioner admitted it was responsible for the escape of two prisoners in Geraldton.Commissioner McM ...
Prison Officers Union and Government negotiate successful ‘in principle’ wage deal
The WA Prison Officers Union (WAPOU) and State Government have reached an ‘in principle’ wage deal following months of negotiation and widespread industrial action.Union Secretary John Welch congratulated his members on their efforts to get appropria ...
Barnett Government’s attention to solving of WA prison crowding crisis long overdue: prison officers
Media reports state one of WA's former top judges, Antoinette Kennedy, has today echoed the long-standing concern of prison officers – overcrowding in prisons has reached crisis point and urgent action is needed to fix the problem.WA Prison Officers ...
We need safe prisons to back up law and order promises
The Liberal Party’s promise to fund mobile policing units must be backed by funding to ensure that extra pressure is not placed upon WA’s already overcrowded prisons, the WA Prison Officers Union said today.Today’s announcement follows promises of o ...
Punched in the face, spat on with blood: Prison officers assaulted at Hakea Prison
A female officer was punched in the face, while her colleague had blood spat in his face at Hakea prison yesterday.The officers were assaulted when they intervened in an altercation between two prisoners at the video court area, where prisoners attend cou ...
Out-of-hours court sittings: a stretch on prison resources?
The Liberal Party’s promise to fund out-of-hours court sittings does not explain how it will pay for additional prison officers to deal with any extra burden on the prison system, the WA Prison Officers’ Union said today.If the purpose of the addition ...
Three prison officers assaulted at Albany: overcrowding fears went unheeded
The Western Australian Prison Officer’s Union warns the overcrowding of the state’s prisons has contributed to the recent assault of three prison officers at Albany Regional Prison.About 20 prisoners were involved in a brawl when a prisoner had to be ...
Angry Prison Officers meet to decide future course of action
Prison Officers at two of WA’s biggest prisons have stopped work this morning to consider where next in their campaign following the breakdown of negotiations between their union and the state government.Officers at Casuarina and Hakea Prisons will meet ...
Barnett Government talks with Prison Officers reach stalemate
WA Prison Officers are angry after negotiations between their union and the state government reached a stalemate yesterday.The talks broke down when the Department of Corrective Services reneged on providing in writing a previously discussed verbal offer. ...
Prison officers relaunch television advertising campaign following weeks of government inaction
After more inaction by the Barnett Government the WA Prison Officers’ Union have taken the decision to relaunch their ‘Respect the Risk’ television advertising campaign.WAPOU Secretary John Welch said prison officers were tired of waiting for the Ba ...