Media Releases
WA Prison Officers’ Union Launch Major Respect the Risk Advertising Campaign
The Western Australian Prison Officers’ Union has launched a major advertising campaign to raise the concerns of Prison Officers working in the state’s prison system.WAPOU Secretary John Welch said the “Respect the Risk “ campaign was about gettin ...
Independent report confirms ‘serious challenges’ and overcrowding at Albany Regional Prison
The release of a new report by Western Australia’s Inspector of Custodial Services, Neil Morgan, into Albany Regional Prison has confirmed what the WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) has been saying for months – that Albany Prison is facing serious c ...
Fill Empty Beds at Regional Prisons Before Expanding Acacia
The WA Prison Officers’ Union has called on the Barnett Government to prioritise the opening of empty prison beds at Hakea, Bunbury and Albany Regional Prisons before spending money on the expansion of the privately run Acacia Prison.WAPOU Secretary Joh ...
Barnett Government still in denial over WA Prison overcrowding
The WA Prison Officers’ Union has criticised the Minister for Corrective Services, Terry Redman, for again failing to admit that WA’s Prisons are massively overcrowded.Under questioning today in State Parliament’s Legislative Assembly Estimates Comm ...
Overcrowding reaching breaking point at roebourne prison
The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) has called on the Barnett Government to act immediately to address the chronic overcrowding at Roebourne Regional Prison.WAPOU Secretary John Welch said new facilities were urgently needed at Roebourne Prison, a fac ...
New Eastern Goldfields Prison now in jeopardy thanks to new budget cuts
The future of the planned new Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison is now in jeopardy as a result of the Barnett Government’s announcement this week of funding cuts to the Department of Corrective Services.“The prison system faces funding cuts of 2% thi ...
WA community at risk from new government cuts to prisons
The Barnett Government’s announcement yesterday of a 2% funding cut to the Department of Corrective Services this year and further cuts of 3% over coming years puts the Western Australian community further at risk says WA Prison Officers’ Union Secret ...
WAPOU challenges government to come clean about the details of the contract with Serco
WAPOU Secretary John Welch called for the government to release the details of its contract with Serco for the provision of privatised Prison services at Rangeview facility.He said that recent revelations that Serco intended to fulfil its contract to prov ...
Prison Officers to highlight dangerous levels of overcrowding at Bunbury Regional Prison
WA Prison Officers Union officials will tomorrow (March 15th) visit the Bunbury Regional Prison to investigate staffing levels and potentially dangerous conditions at the prison.WAPOUÂ Secretary John Welch said the independent Inspector of Custodial Serv ...
$65 million spent yet so far only 6 new beds for Albany Prison
The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) has condemned the Barnett Government for failing to keep all existing beds in operation at Albany Regional Prison when a new prison unit opens this month.WAPOU Secretary John Welch said it was ludicrous that at the ...
Broome Regional Prison's Future in Jeopardy
WA Prison Officers’ Union Secretary John Welch today called on the Barnett Government to come clean on their plans for the future of Broome Regional Prison.With rumours of the prison’s demise circulating throughout the Broome community Mr Welch said i ...
Prison Inspector says Bunbury Prison staff at risk while facility bursts at the seams.
The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) has called on the Barnett Government to fix the serious concerns raised by the Inspector of Custodial Services in his report into Bunbury Regional Prison released today.WAPOU Secretary John Welch said the Inspectorâ ...
Promised Prison beds at Greenough still not delivered
In November 2009 the Barnett Government announced a new male maximum-security unit would be built at Greenough Prison then months later decided not to site the unit at Greenough but announced they would build a female unit in its place.It’s now November ...
No benefit but serious risk with decision to outsource new Young Offenders Facility
The WA Prison Officers’ Union (WAPOU) has called on the Barnett Government to reverse its decision to outsource a new Young Adults Facility.Expressing disappointment at the announcement today, WAPOU Secretary John Welch said he was very surprised that a ...
WAPOU calls for independent analysis into costs of privatised prisons
The WA Prison Officers Union (WAPOU) is calling for an independent analysis into the real costs of running privatised prisons after the Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services released a report into Acacia Prison that failed to account for several o ...