RISDON UNREST

Prisoners protest Anger at jail conditions

TENSIONS boiled over at Risdon Prison with inmates staging a standoff with guards in protest against conditions at the jail.

About 40 inmates in the medium security section refused to return to their cells about 12.30pm yesterday and were seen unfurling a banner on fencing demanding “basic human rights”.

Witnesses said a gas was used to bring the situation under control, with heavily armed guards on patrol. Police were also on standby at the prison.

Tasmania Prison Service director Ian Thomas said the situation was brought under control by about 8pm.

Mr Thomas said there were no injuries to staff but a prisoner suffered minor cuts to their arm.

“Early indications suggest that prisoners were concerned with the phasing out of nicotine replacement patches,” Mr Thomas said.

Last month the Mercury reported a surge in the prison population was causing overcrowding in cells, daily lockdowns and morale problems among correctional officers and inmates.

Community and Public Sector Union assistant secretary Thirza White yesterday said the prison was plagued by “chronic understaffing”.

“This is raising pressure in the prison system,” she said.

“They are high-stress, high-tension jobs and it’s really important that is managed and it can only be done by having sufficient staff. These are not new issues for us.”

Acting Minister for Corrections Guy Barnett said the incident would be investigated and noted it was related to the phasing out of the nicotine replacement program.

The nicotine patches were given to inmates after the Tasmania Prison Service banned smoking in February, 2015. But problems emerged as the patches became a currency in the jail and inmates used them incorrectly, including boiling them down and mixing with broccoli, among other things, to smoke.

During the afternoon, Mr Thomas said prison officers were “managing the situation peacefully”.

“No violence has occurred and no indication ... of any threats being made to the safety of any prison staff or inmates,” he said.

“A number of inmates have returned to their cells through the course of the afternoon.”

By about 6.30pm the situation had quietened down, but there was still yelling from the complex and guards patrolled with torches until 7pm. At 7.45pm about six guards moved prisoners from a room.

Opposition corrections spokeswoman Lara Giddings said the Government has been repeatedly warned about “the pressure cooker situation” at Risdon.

“The Government has ignored these repeated warnings from workers regarding the escalating risks due to staff shortages, overcrowding and lockdowns,” she said.

“The Acting Minister for Corrections needs to act quickly to address these pressures to ensure the safety of staff and prisoners.”

A relative of an inmate said prisoners were demanding better conditions.

“They want better conditions, they’re locked half the day every day,” she said.

“I don’t think that’s too hard. I understood they broke the law and that but for god’s sake ...”

She said the protesting inmates were told they wouldn’t receive food or access to the canteen if they didn’t return to their cells.

Since 2015-2016, the average number of inmates in the prison system has climbed from 524 to more than 600.

The system is operating at 91 per cent capacity, the highest it has been in the past decade, according to figures in the Productivity Commission Report on Government Services.

Tasmanian Prisoners Legal Service chairman Greg Barns blamed the Government for the incident.

“This is an inevitable consequence of the failure of the State Government wanting to place more prisoners in the system,” Mr Barns said.

They want better conditions, they’re locked half the day every day — RELATIVE OF INMATE