Ms SYLVIA HALE: I direct my question to the Minister for Corrective Services. In light of the death in Western Australia in January 2008 of Mr Ward in the back of a prison van while being transported from Laverton to Kalgoorlie, has the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services reviewed the suitability and conditions of its prisoner transport vehicles and the conditions under which prisoners are transported? What procedures has the department put in place to ensure that when requested by prisoners air-conditioning is turned on or off, medication is provided, and that on long trips—for example, from Sydney to Bathurst—water, meals and comfort stops are available?

The Hon. JOHN ROBERTSON: The Government is continuing to invest in a range of upgraded vans for the transport of inmates throughout New South Wales and it is ensuring that they meet contemporary standards. It is worth noting that on any given day we have the equivalent of one full jail of inmates on the road. Like most people, I was horrified when I heard about what happened to that individual in Western Australia. I assure the House that that Department of Corrective Services takes its obligations to its inmates and their safety very seriously. However, it does so without compromising security. The department is aware that it must ensure that the fleet of vehicles used for inmate transportation meets modern, humane standards. At the same time, it is not transporting these people in luxury hire cars. The vehicles are secure and air-conditioned. The secure compartments in the trucks have closed-circuit TV cameras and the prison officers have a screen on the dashboard so that they can monitor the inmates. If anything untoward does occur in the back of the vehicles, it can be dealt with quickly.

A recent incident involving a Department of Corrective Services van travelling from Silverwater received a great deal of media coverage. That incident was a good demonstration of the dedication of our prison officers. Officers take the safety and security of the inmates they are transporting very seriously. Even though one of the prison officers needed to be hospitalised, both officers made it a priority to ensure that the inmates in the van were safe. One inmate did require hospital treatment. Those prison officers were concerned to ensure that the inmates were safe and they secured the area before they worried about their own welfare. This is a very important issue for the Department of Corrective Services, and that is why an appropriate sum is allocated to the maintenance and upgrading of those vehicles. The department ensures that inmates travel safely and securely.