Mandatory infectious diseases testing tabled in Parliament
Friday 06 Mar 2020
WAPOU has welcomed the State Government’s decision to introduce new laws to make it mandatory for prisoners accused of assaulting prison officers to be tested for infectious disease.
Prison officers Mike, Rebecca and Reece and WAPOU Assistant Secretary Paul Ledingham joined Corrective Services Minister Fran Logan to announce the proposed amendments to the existing legislation at Parliament House.
Under the existing laws, an officer has to wait three months to know if they were possibly infected, but the new laws mean a prisoner would be tested as soon as possible and would face tougher penalties for refusing to comply.
The new laws would also make the prisoner’s infectious disease status known to the affected prison officer.
The provisions will bring the legislation around prison officers in line with the protections afforded to WA police officers.