Labor says people ‘feeling scared’ under Libs

THE Liberals have been hammered over public safety in the wake of recent escapes from custody.

In parliament yesterday, Labor questioned the State Government’s ability to keep Tasmanians safe, following the escape of Risdon Prison inmate Graham John Enniss.

Opposition Leader Rebecca White also highlighted the escape from Burnie police station, and the prisoner who spent 12 days at large recently after slipping away from officers at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

“How can you claim to be tough on crime when so many violent criminals are free to roam the streets?” Ms White said.

“The community is not feeling safe under your Government. They are feeling scared.”

Mr Hodgman said the State Government was moving to beef-up security at the prison in the wake of the escape.

“Community safety is an absolute priority for this Government and any prison breach or escape is a serious matter and totally unacceptable,” he said.

Mr Hodgman said the prison service was reviewing security at Risdon Prison.

He said all leave permits and work passes had been suspended, and the security classification of all prisoners in minimum security was under review.

Labor member for Braddon Shane Broad said if Minister for Corrections Elise Archer were to put a true crime show on in the prison “no doubt it would be a sellout”.

“It’s very ironic that the minister only a few days ago crowed about a true crime series being filmed in Tasmania,” Mr Broad said.

“She must have been almost psychic because what we have here is a true crime series being played out in our community.”

Ms Archer said the Liberal Party has committed $270 million to building a new northern prison, $70 million to the Southern Remand Centre at Risdon and $9.34 million to expand and upgrade the gatehouse, health centre, visiting areas, kitchen and prisoner processing area at Risdon Prison.

Labor spokeswoman for justice Ella Haddad asked if Enniss or any other dangerous inmates at Risdon were in minimum security because maximum security was at 106 per cent capacity and medium security was at 99 per cent capacity.

Mr Hodgman attacked Labor’s opposition to the Liberals’ tough-on-crime legislative agenda.

“Every step of the way, they were arguing against keeping prisoners in jail but actually trying to find a way they could be released earlier,” he said.

Mr Hodgman did not address the issue of prison capacity.