BANKSIA HILL DETENTION CENTRE — FOUR CORNERS REPORT
690. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Corrective Services:
I have a supplementary question. How
was the minister unaware of a practice that has now been banned in other
jurisdictions and is allowed to be employed in his system?
Mr W.J.
JOHNSTON replied:
No-one has ever asked me to review
that matter. Not a single advocate group has ever raised that issue with me—not once; not on a single occasion. The procedures
that are used by the agency are used by the agency. They are not new. I was
never asked to give, nor did I ever give, approval for that procedure to be
used because it was already permitted to be used by the agency. As I say, not a
single advocate has ever asked me, even today, to take action. That is why I am
pleased that the Premier has taken this action and asked that this procedure
cease to be.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: The first
occasion we became aware of it was on Channel Seven on Sunday night. If somebody—anybody—had raised it
with me, I would have taken action. As I say, no-one ever asked for my approval
nor did I ever give my approval for the procedure to be used, because it was
already authorised many, many years ago when
the Liberal and National Parties were in government. Let me make it clear to
the Leader of the Opposition, who has been interjecting: you were a minister
in the government that allowed it to occur.
Ms M.J. Davies: You are the
minister now.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: That is
right. The difference is that we are taking action and you never did!