Community Alliance Party

The latest fiasco that saw ACT Prison officers forbidden to search prisoners is further evidence that the Stanhope Government cannot be trusted to manage emergency services, according to Community Alliance Candidate Mike Crowther.

"Preventing Belconnen Remand Staff searching incoming prisoners is about as clever as telling police they need ministerial approval before making an arrest," said Mr Crowther.

"Vesting sole authority for such routine tasks in the department's chief executive without delegation absolutely beggars belief," said Mr Crowther. “How on earth did it creep into a major piece of legislation?”

"The government has shown, yet again, its inability to consult about the implications of policy decisions before enacting them. Even thought he Act will be amended, it is something that should never have happened," said Mr Crowther.

The Community Alliance Party will not micro-manage emergency services personnel and believes that routine tasks are best managed by trained staff at the actual coalface.

Mr. Crowther, who worked for many years in a prison system, claimed that that the ACT government’s approach to emergency services never failed to prefer image over substance.

"They like to project to the public this facade of human rights and best practice, and appear willing to cut any corner to maintain that image," said Mr Crowther.

"It’s all very cute until someone gets stabbed. If they are as in-competent in prison management as they are in bushfire management, and this latest foolishness suggests to me that they are, then it’s not a matter of if, but when," he said.

"If this is the government's idea of good management, then I feel sorry for anyone unfortunate enough to either work or be incarcerated in their new prison. This mob couldn’t manage gate security at a Raiders match," he said.

Contact: Mike Crowther 0406 378 902