Does the NSW Government give a stuff about the people who die in its prisons?

Another report which should make you angry, taken from an ABC Online bulletin yesterday.

A coronial inquest has found that the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services ignored a damning report into a death in custody.

Adam Shipley hanged himself in his cell at the Kirkconnell minimum-security correctional centre, near Bathurst, two years ago.

The 36-year-old, who was serving time for a breach of parole, had schizophrenia and a long history of self harm.

At the Glebe Coroners Court today, an inquest found that Corrective Services had no plan for Shipley's psychological wellbeing.

The State Coroner, Mary Jerram, said the department failed to properly investigate the death and ignored a detailed report into it, because it was not written in the right format.

Readers of this blog will know I'm passionate about this issue. Over the past month, my posts have included:

May 9: “Australia doesn't impose the death penalty, does it?”
May 23: “Should imprisonment be a death sentence”
June 1: “Morally, it will be murder if this prisoner dies”
June 2: “John Robertson decides: We'll risk her life”

The heading on this post today may seem over the top. It reflects my anger, certainly, but with the scandals continuing to unfold, it's justified. The ABC report concluded:

The Coroner recommended that the New South Wales Government order a review into the treatment of at-risk inmates.

She also questioned the usefulness of the department's investigation branch and called for a review of its operations.

Don't hold your breath.
.

John Robertson decides: We'll risk her life

This post should be read in conjunction with the previous post.

Today's Sydney Morning Herald reports that the NSW Minister for Corrective Services, John Robertson, has ruled that the seriously ill Charlotte Lindstrom must remain in a NSW prison until she gives evidence against her former fiance in two drug trials. Read the report here.

Robertson said she could not be considered for repatriation to Sweden until she had fulfilled her obligations to give evidence in the trials.

In the Herald report, he made no reference to expert medical evidence that her anorexia is so severe she is at risk of death, or to opinions that the stress of testifying could kill her.

The Minister's decision might, just, be justified if he were to make sure she receives adequate medical treatment, something our prison system has failed to provide during her two years in solitary.

The report makes no reference to medical treatment, so we must assume she will not get it.

.

Morally, it will be murder if this prisoner dies

The NSW State Labor Government continues to risk this prisoner's life.

I've commented on this before ("Should imprisonment be a death sentence", on May 23). I'm even more angry after reading this report in today's Sydney Morning Herald.

As the report says, the Swedish government is seeking her urgent repatriation to Sweden because she is dangerously ill with acute anorexia. The Australian Federal Government agrees she should go home.

Ms Lindstrom's body mass index has fallen to 13.6, which, as the Herald reports, is well below the level at which she should be in hospital and undergoing refeeding.

The NSW prison system has never given her the treatment she needs.

Sweden's Ambassador to Australia said: "This is not according to what we would have expected from a modern and well-equipped government in NSW."

Nor has the NSW government replied to Sweden's request. A spokeswoman for the responsible minister said no decision had been made.

And who is the Minister for Corrective Services? None other than John Robertson, the trade union boss who slipped into the Legislative Council seat vacated by the minister he got rid of, Michael Costa. Robertson did not have to face the public in an election.

Robertson has done more than any other politician to ensure Labor suffers a humiliating defeat at the next State elections, as I wrote on February 26 in "How to destroy Labor's electoral chances".

If Ms Lindstrom dies as a result of Robertson's failure to provide adequate medical treatment, and his refusal to let her go home to Sweden for treatment, he and his colleagues will be guilty of murder. Not in any legal sense, but in a moral sense the electors should understand.


.