Prisons in Anzac Day date outrage

PRISON officers — many of them ex-military — are furious over a management proposal to hold “Anzac Day” two days earlier, claiming the “disrespectful” move is designed to avoid a clash with weekend prisoner visits.

This year April 25 falls on a Sunday and senior staff responsible for jails in northern NSW have “set down” Friday April 23 for organised “Anzac Day formalities”.

While no reason was given in the email from the Cessnock Complex Event Committee, staff claim it is to avoid interruptions with Sunday inmate visits, while also enabling executive staff not on duty on weekends to take part.

But with many prison officers being ex-military, including one who is a former longserving army lieutenant, the proposal has been met with anger and disbelief.

One officer stated: “Shouldn’t matter what day it falls on — Anzac Day is the 25th and always will be the 25th.” Other responses suggested holding Anzac Day on any other day than the 25th was disrespectful.

“Why would anyone want to commemorate it on the 23rd so that they can commemorate it again on the 25th,” another officer wrote. “It’s not a numbers game. It’s when we stop a nation to remember the fallen. Not any other date.”

Among the scores of complaints fired off at the jail’s events committee include the former army lieutenant, who declared such a proposal should have “never even been a consideration”.

His disapproval was noted by another officer, who wrote: “And as far as I’m concerned it’s quite disrespectful to even consider it.”

One senior prison officer said it was clear the day was being changed for “convenience”.

“Having it on Friday means it won’t interrupt with the weekend visits and also means a lot of the executive can take part because most of them aren’t rostered on a weekend,” the officer said.

The Cessnock Complex Event Committee is responsible for organising activities at several jails, including Hunter and Shortland.

The angry responses led to a flurry of emails from jail managers on the proposed change of date, with one clarifying how a “small” service was also being held on the actual Anzac Day.

On April 3, Hunter jail governor Linda Ferrett sent out an email declaring that if the “arrangement doesn’t suit”, each prison could make its own plans. The events committee advised officers with any grievances to make “direct contact” with any issues to be discussed at its upcoming meeting on Monday.