“Corrective Services NSW’s statement that prisoners requested the ending of physical visits to replace them with video visits to ease the burden on their families is a lie. They are just trying to cut overtime.”
“We call upon Corrective Services to permit the Australian Electoral Commission to conduct a plebiscite in Wellington prison, so that prisoners can formally express their views. Visits are deeply missed. Prisoners long to have physical contact with their families, and friends. This human contact is vital to lessen the destructive isolation of imprisonment. ‘The sense of touch, by which we feel the world, is the first language of our soul.”
“Prisoners in a democracy are entitled to express their views and to challenge institutional narratives. Corrective Services assumes they maintain control over their voices, but that is not true. The Australian Prisoners’ Union is one vehicle that is fully behind this project to ensure prisoners’ voices are heard.”
“Their own research says that family contact is essential to lessening recidivism and creating a safer community. Video visits should always be an option, in addition to physical visits. The video call functions on the computer tablets in all cells should be turned on, as the Minister has agreed (p.88 q328) is possible.”
