Media release: October 31, 2025
The prison officers’ strike is a disgraceful act of contempt for the judicial system, which gives them the authority to hold other citizens. If they are public servants they must show respect for court decisions and not deliberately cause chaos, holding others hostage who have no responsibility and actually threatening the Attorney General.
Prison officers have misled the public by their statements, suggesting that Cameron Welsh has escaped penalty for the assaults. He has been continuously in prison, and since February held in the highest security HRMCC with people charged with terrorism, under the most severe conditions. Other prisoners in Cessnock reported that he was bashed by six prison officers after the incident, and later by the SOG. We call for the Commissioner to expose photos of Mr Welsh and his medical file showing his injuries.
Minister Chanthivong and Commissioner McCahon must control their staff and ensure there is no return to the disgraceful culture of the past that was exposed in the Nagle Royal Commission Report of 37 years of brutality and savagery, David Dungay’s Inquest and others more recently. No staff were ever held responsible for abuse except for Wayne Astill getting a 23 year sentence after sex with prisoners.
Prison officers must not be encouraged to think that more prison time and crushing sentences make them safer in their job. History has shown that desperate prisoners with nothing to lose are the most dangerous and more dangerous for the community when they are released. Citizens removed from their homes, families, and jobs charged with domestic violence offences, and locked in cells are not surprisingly extremely disturbed.
De-escalation techniques must be taught to guards. According to overseas experience, Computers in cells with prisoners using their time positively have reduced attacks on guards by 60% and attacks on other prisoners by 30%. Corrective Services has a duty to make us all safer by inclusion not brutality.