CORRECTIONS

DEPARTMENT FOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
STATE BUDGET REPORT 2008

The Treasurer, the Hon Kevin Foley MP delivered the 2008 State Budget yesterday. (ie Thursday 5 June 2008)

Senior PSA officials President Lindsay Oxlad, General Secretary Jan McMahon and Chief Industrial Officer Peter Christopher attended yesterday's Budget lock-up.

The detailed Budget documents totaling several hundred pages are undergoing detailed analysis. From an initial review of the papers the following are a number of key items of general application within the Department for Correctional Services.

Government will invite the consortia bidding to build the new prisons at Mobilong to submit bids on an expanded model that could create hundreds of beds in the new facility scheduled to open in 2011.

The men's prison expanding from 760 cells to 940 (Yatala currently 450 beds)
The women's prison expanding from 150 cells to 200 (Women's prison currently 130 beds)
$35.9 million to provide a further 209 bed spaces in our current correctional institutions.

The PSA will arrange to meet with executive management to discuss the implications for members working in The Department for Correctional Services.

The PSA urgently welcomes feedback from members concerning the impact of Budget announcements, particularly with examples of how changes will affect the community as well as how they affect members.

The PSA is following up conflicting statements where the Treasurer states there will be job cuts while the Under Treasurer states there will not be cuts.

Any further queries, please contact: PSA Industrial Officer, Marg Jeffries on 8205 3263 or email mj@cpsu.asn.au

5 June 2008