Elise Archer, Attorney-General and Minister for Corrections
The Tasmanian Government wants to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all Tasmanians, and this of course includes Tasmania Prison Service (TPS) staff, inmates, and visitors to the State’s correctional facilities.
The strict measures already in place to reduce the risk of contraction of COVID-19 will continue to be assessed and strengthened in conjunction with corrective services across the country.
A number of risk management strategies are being implemented across TPS facilities, including the enforcement of social distancing measures, despite the fact correctional facilities have been declared exempt from these restrictions.
Following the Government suspending all personal visits within prisons, more than 50 additional iPads have been obtained, and video visits are to commence next week. These iPads will be cleaned after every use.
Additional phone credit has been provided to every prisoner, and communal phones are sanitised regularly with cleaning products available for cleaning before and after each use.
More than 1000 face masks will be made available and the TPS has also increased the amount of regular cleaning within its facilities.
The preparedness of corrections services across the country was discussed at a recent national meeting of all state and territory Corrections Ministers with the Federal Attorney-General. Governments across the country will continue to review and share measures to prevent and manage the COVID-19 risk in prison facilities, and the TPS will continue to follow the advice of Public Health.
To date, no staff or prisoners have tested positive to COVID-19.
The Tasmanian Government is working hard to keep Tasmanians informed, safe and supported. We will continue to put the health and safety of Tasmanians first as we work to support everyone through these challenging times.
