The Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) welcomes the response from the State Government to Taskforce Flaxton.
On 14 December 2018, the CCC tabled in Parliament its report titled Taskforce Flaxton: An examination of corruption risks and corruption in Queensland prisons.
After 16 days of public hearings, the examination of 34 witnesses and consideration of 33 written submissions, the CCC made 33 formal recommendations to Parliament to address corruption and corruption risks in Queensland corrective services facilities.
The Government has supported all 33 recommendations, with 24 supported in full and nine supported-in-principle.
CCC Chairperson Alan MacSporran QC said the recommendations were designed to overhaul the existing anti-corruption framework and deliver improved internal and external oversight of prisons.
“The CCC’s recommendations will significantly reduce the current corruption risks within Queensland’s corrective service facilities. The recommendations will improve the systems and processes to better detect, prevent and deal with corruption,” Mr MacSporran said.
“Key to the improvements we recommended were implementing consistent policies and procedures across all facilities, reviewing the organisational structure, establishing an organisational-wide cultural change program, upgrades to CCTV systems, amending legislation to allow staff working in prisons to be searched, publicly reporting on anti-corruption performance outcomes and the establishment of a properly resourced Independent Inspectorate of Prisons. These recommendations have been supported by the Government.”
The CCC received full cooperation throughout Taskforce Flaxton from Queensland Corrective Services, Queensland Health, unions and academic and policy experts which enabled a thorough and productive examination of the issues.
“Taskforce Flaxton is an example of how a collaborative approach to identifying corruption risks and then agreeing on solutions can deliver wholesale system reform. The implementation of the recommendations will benefit staff working in these facilities, better serve those people detained in facilities, improve oversight and ensure corruption and corruption risks are dealt with effectively,” Mr MacSporran said.
You can view a copy of the CCC’s report and a one-page summary of Taskforce Flaxton at: /public-hearings/taskforce-flaxton
ENDS
