SA teachers to strike today

Half-day strike in SA schools over pay.

Some South Australian public schools will be closed this morning as teachers rally for a pay increase from the State Government.

Teachers unanimously knocked back the Government's pay offer of a 12.5 per cent rise over three years, and are still demanding 21 per cent.

More than 400 schools and preschools will close until a 12.15pm, while nearly 360 will operate as normal.

Anne Crawford from the Education Union says teachers are insulted by the Government's offer.

"The wage rise they have offered is fundamentally less than the cost of living, less than the CPI and the Government has completely forgotten about school leaders, preschool directors, TAFE employees and non-teaching staff," she said.

The Union's state president, Correna Haythorpe, says teachers voted unanimously to strike for a bigger rise.

"We know that over 80 per cent of our members have voted in favour for the stop-work action and parents are advised to make contact with their local schools," she said.

Jan Andrews from the Education Department says parents should already know if their children will be affected by today's strike.

She says year 12 students will not be disadvantaged.

"Schools are prioritising the needs of those students and I'm told that the AEU has had some regard to that as well," she said.

"But the programs in schools that have been affected have been tailored around the year 12s so that their work won't be interrupted even if those children are working at home."

Prison union blocks inmate transfers

The Public Service Association (PSA) says it will not allow any more prisoner transfers until the Correctional Services Department acknowledges overcrowding in South Australia's prisons system.

Representatives from each of the state's jails have had talks in Adelaide, just days after unrest at Port Augusta prison.

Jan McMahon from the PSA says overcrowding is at crisis levels and prisoner transfers will not be supported until the issue has been addressed by authorities.

But SA Correctional Services Minister Carmel Zollo says the PSA must be willing to co-operate with the Government and prisoners need to be transferred.

For its part, the SA Opposition wants an independent inquiry into last week's Port Augusta prison unrest.

Liberal correctional services spokesman Stephen Wade says the Government has been denying prisons are overcrowded even though a Productivity Commission report put them at 22 per cent above capacity.

Mr Wade says the Government insists the trouble was not due to any overcrowding.

"We says that if a space was designed for one person then to put more than one person in there is overcrowding," he said.

"That to us is commonsense. The Productivity Commission, the independent arbiter, says that we are the most overcrowded prison system in the nation at 22 per cent."

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SA prison stand-off inmates relocated
They have access to the oval only once a fortnight and that's the particular exercise that was cancelled for operational reasons.


Rioting reported at Pt Augusta prison
The latest banner sprawled in big black letters on a large white sheet says "Assault prisoners hey? No more".

SA prison stand-off inmates relocated

They have access to the oval only once a fortnight and that's the particular exercise that was cancelled for operational reasons.

Inmates involved in the stand-off that ended yesterday at Port Augusta prison have been transported to Adelaide.

Most of them are now at Yatala prison, while about five who are believed to have instigated the uprising, are in police custody at the Adelaide Remand Centre.

Police are treating the Bluebush unit of Port Augusta prison as a crime scene.

Correctional Services minister Carmel Zollo says it is too early to estimate what damage was done to the unit.

"We'll have to go and assess that. I don't have a monetary value on that at all, but clearly all that will have to be fixed up before any prisoners can be returned to that unit," she said.

Ms Zollo says a cancelled exercise session seems to have been the catalyst for inmates to revolt on Thursday.

She says the session was cancelled because not enough guards were available for supervision, but strongly denied claims the prisoners are only able to exercise once a fortnight.

"It's not true that they get one exercise period a fortnight. The Bluebush prisoners have access to the secure yard outside every day and sometimes, I understand, even twice a day," she said.

"But they have access to the oval only once a fortnight and that's the particular exercise that was cancelled for operational reasons."

Meanwhile, the Public Service Association says a work ban imposed by members on the jail could extend to other facilities unless the Government improves conditions.

PSA members yesterday voted not to return to work at the facility unless the prisoners involved in the standoff were removed and the damage repaired.

Repairs cannot begin on the unit prisoners seized until police have finished their investigation of the scene.

PSA general secretary Jan McMahon says problems in the prison system are not confined to Port Augusta and members are concerned about their safety.

"There were three overflow prisoners. That means the prison at Port Augusta, according to our members, was full yesterday," he said.

"As we speak at Mobilong Prison there are currently 15 mattresses on the floor because the prison at Mobilong is full. So there is a severe overcrowding in South Australian prisons."

But yesterday acting Premier Kevin Foley was adamant the prison is not at capacity.

"Prisons are not designed for absolute comfort and the doubling up of prisoners - that is two per cell - is both a common practice and an appropriate practice," he said.

Quote: Doubling up of prisoners may be common practice due to overcrowding, and creature comfort and or human needs, by request, yes. However, if they didn’t volunteer to smell someone else's shit then it's not appropriate to the prisoner. But I guess that Kevin Foley's shit doesn't stink? And how about letting them prisoners out for a run on the oval more than once a fortnight? Or in this case more than zip, no oval at all? Most of the above prisoners will be placed in 'solitary confinement' for a few weeks after this and that should fix the problem? For now!

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Rioting reported at Pt Augusta prison
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We owe prisoners more than jail
Prisons are too important to be left to jailers, for the simple reason that the standard prison magnifies social problems. It is a congregation of people with an accumu–lation of risk factors for crime.

Rioting reported at Pt Augusta prison

Up to 10 inmates have been seen camped on the roof of the jail.

The Correctional Services Department is responding to reports of a riot at Port Augusta prison in South Australia.

An official with the department says the situation is still being assessed, but has confirmed that staff are not involved.

Police and emergency services are on standby to attend.

Prisoners camp on roof as stand-off continues


Prisoners...Assault prisoners hey? No more.

The South Australian Correctional Services Department is negotiating with rioting inmates at the prison, 300 kilometres north of Adelaide.

The Department says about 40 inmates damaged furniture and other items in a high security section of the prison, causing staff to lock-down the area.

Heavily armed police and emergency services have been at the scene for several hours.

Up to 10 inmates have been seen camped on the roof of the jail.

The group is dressed in black and wearing black balaclavas have been waving banners on the roof.

The latest banner sprawled in big black letters on a large white sheet says "Assault prisoners hey? No more".

Lange Powell from the State Corrections Department says the police and specialist staff are trying to negotiate with the prisoners.

Several MFS fire trucks have left the scene, but ambulance, CFS and police continue to watch on.

The jail has a high percentage of Aboriginal prisoners.

The chief executive of the South Australian Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement Neil Gillespie - who is in London - says he cannot comment on specific aspects of the latest incident.

But he says conditions in such jails are ripe for unrest.

"There has been an issue with overcrowding for quite some time," he said.

"It is very sad both for the prisoners and prisoners families and I'm uncertain of the background to this latest riot but it certainly doesn't surprise me."

Prison riot negotiations continue

Negotiations are continuing with 38 prisoners involved in a stand-off at the Port Augusta jail in South Australia's north.

Two prisoners have since given themselves up.

The Corrections Department says the prisoners have damaged property, and yelling, clapping, and banging can be heard coming from inside the jail.

Police are set up outside the prison and the National Highway One running past the prison has been partly blocked off to traffic.

The State Opposition's correctional services spokesman, Stephen Wade, says the jail system is overcrowded, and the damage caused by the riot will lead to more problems.

"Those prisoners will need to be relocated while their facility is repaired, that is going to put incredible stress on a prison system that's already overcrowded," he said.

"After all it's not just Port Augusta that's overcrowded, every prison in our system has been racked, stacked and packed by this Government."

Warnings

The Public Service Association (PSA) says it has been warning the Government for sometime that trouble was likely at the prison because of constant overcrowding and doubling-up in cells.

The PSA represents about 120 workers at the prison, including the correctional service officers who manage about 300 prisoners.

The Association's Peter Christopher says the trouble started yesterday when prisoners in the high security Bluebush unit were not allowed to go outside for exercise because there was not enough staff to supervise them.

"When prisoners in that unit weren't able to go outside and do their exercise, the reports we've received indicate that this was a trigger for this particular incident," he said.

'Full investigation'

The Correctional Services Minister, Carmel Zollo, says a full investigation will be carried out as a matter of priority.

"What I can say is that incidents like this are regrettable and are a concern, and clearly I want to know what has happened and what has triggered this incident," she said.

"It has been reported that this incident was a result of prison overcrowding, this is of course pure speculation, it is an isolated incident and I expect a comprehensive investigation into the underlying reasons and causes."

Ms Zollo says prison management has the right to shut down certain areas at any time.

She says a number of staff called in sick, and a decision had to be made whether to allow the prisoners to exercise.

"They got to always make a decision in the best interest of the running of that prison, for safety reasons, they'll always reserve the right to actually make some areas no-go areas," she said.

Riot prisoners list concerns


Prisoners have outlined their concerns

Prisoners involved in a stand-off at Port Augusta prison in South Australia's north have outlined their concerns to police and the Corrections Department.

There are 38 high security prisoners involved in the protest, which started yesterday afternoon in the Bluebush cell block.

The prisoners have listed grievances including overcrowding in cells.

Police chief superintendent Fred Trueman says police and specialist correctional services staff have been listening to the prisoners' demands.

"Those concerns as we understand them, as they have been expressed to us, relate to their limited accommodation, their doubling up and the unavailability of oval time yesterday," he said.

Indigenous rights complaint lodged with UN

The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM) has now sent a formal complaint to the United Nations about treatment of Indigenous people.

It says the letter outlines breaches by both federal and state governments of the Convention for the Rights of Indigenous People.

ALRM executive Frank Lampard says funding for Aboriginal legal aid has been static for more than a decade, meaning it has fallen by about 40 per cent in real terms.

Mr Lampard says that is discrimination because mainstream legal aid has increased by 120 per cent in the same time.

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Doctor urges mandatory detention inquiry

Doctor urges mandatory detention inquiry...

A psychiatrist who has treated immigration detainees says former government ministers should be called to account for the policy of mandatory detention.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans says mandatory detention will stay but with new rules.

Dr Jon Jureidini, of Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital, treated detainees over many years from the now-closed Baxter detention centre in South Australia.

He says former prime minister John Howard and former immigration minister Philip Ruddock should face a public inquiry about mandatory detention and the psychological harm it caused.

"The Howard government under Ruddock immigration administration knowingly locked up children for extended periods," he said.

"And they were quite clearly told by many people that this was very seriously damaging the people that were being locked up.

"What needs to happen is that the people who've done the damage need to take responsibility for what they've done."

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Mandatory detention changes

The majority of asylum seekers will no longer be detained under major immigration reforms announced by Immigration Minister Chris Evans.

The Government will not completely scrap mandatory detention but Senator Evans says the Department of Immigration will have to justify why a person should be detained.

"A person who poses no danger to the community will be able to remain in the community while their visa status is resolved," Senator Evans said.

Mandatory detention will now apply to three groups that the Minister says pose a risk to the wider community, such as those who have repeatedly breached their visa conditions.

"Once in detention a detainee's case will be reviewed every three months to ensure that the further detention of the individual is justified," Senator Evans said.

Children will also no longer be detained.

Asylum seekers who arrive at Christmas Island will still also be detained for health and security checks and will also continue to be processed at Christmas Island. However, they will now have access to legal assistance.

At present, 385 people are held in immigration detention. Of those, 64 are seeking asylum or waiting for a result from an application for a protection visa.

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Dog patrol tensions at Ceduna

Related Story: Town enlists security dogs to tackle violence, drunkenness
The use of dog security patrols at Ceduna on South Australia's far west coast has been likened to gestapo tactics by the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM).

The council has introduced patrols to counter anti-social behaviour.

Mayor Allan Suter says it is not aimed at any racial group in particular.

ALRM chief executive Neil Gillespie will meet the council about his concerns.

"I think that it's targeted at Aboriginal people - to bring in the gestapo-type guard dogs again I repeat it's a racist action," he said.

Mr Suter says he wants an apology over the unfair comparison.

"I'd also like to point out dogs are used in city areas for similar purposes but people just like to sensationalise and try to make a racist issue out of it," he said.

"Well it isn't racist, it isn't targeting any particular group of people, it is targeting people who are committing offences."

Radiation checks lessened at mine: Greens

The Greens say standards for radiation monitoring at the Olympic Dam mine owned by BHP Billiton have been watered down by the South Australian Government.

SA Greens MP Mark Parnell says documents he has obtained under freedom of information raise serious concerns about how often testing for radiation occurs at the mine in outback SA.

He says reports provided to the Environment Protection Authority by BHP Billiton lack detail about radiation exposure for people working in areas of the uranium and copper mine where the risk is highest.

Mr Parnell says tougher reporting standards are needed.

"Our criticism here is of the Government because it's the Government that sets the standards for radiation monitoring," he said.

"BHP Billiton will only do what the Government makes them do. If the Government waters down the standards then it's their responsibility if workers are being put at risk."

Lawyer critical of media APY permit changes

An Indigenous lawyer criticises a plan to widen the permit system for the APY Lands

An Indigenous lawyer says a South Australian Government plan to give the media unhindered access to Aboriginal lands shows contempt for local people.

SA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jay Weatherill is proposing legislation to exempt journalists from a permit system on the APY Lands of SA's far north-west.

He says the Government was forced to cancel a trip to the Lands in recent days partly because media permits were not processed in time.

Neil Gillespie from the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement says local people should retain the right to decide who can visit their land.

"To me it smacks of contempt for Anangu and their wishes and it displays a huge amount of lack of respect for the owners of the land," he said.

"It displays the arrogance that this Government has exhibited over a long time against Aboriginal people.

"It's Aboriginal land. It's the same as you having your house, you invite who you want into your house and onto your land.

"What's the difference? It's just that it's a bigger piece of land. There are very large landholders throughout the country that restrict people's access to the land. Why is there a difference?"

SA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jay Weatherill says there will be proper security measures to protect the land and its people.

"The permit system has been abused and has been caught up in a political game playing between various factions of the APY Lands and we simply cannot defend a system that's abused in that fashion so the changes that we're seeking to make bring it in line with Federal Labor policy," he said.

Extra police, child protection stem from abuse inquiry

A report from an inquiry led by former judge Ted Mullighan on child sexual abuse in remote Aboriginal communities has produced disturbing findings.

It has been tabled in the South Australian Parliament, with the Government promising to act immediately on several of the 46 recommendations.

Following on from an earlier child abuse investigation involving former state wards, the latest inquiry spent 10 months investigating communities in the far north-west of SA.

It found child sexual abuse on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunyjtjatjara (APY) Lands to be widespread.

SA Premier Mike Rann has told Parliament that the Government will act immediately on recommendations including the posting of eight extra police officers and two extra child protection officers to the APY Lands.

The Government will also look at ways to restrict pornography in the Lands.

Mr Rann says the findings are deeply disturbing, with sickening details of the abuse of young Aboriginal children.

He says extra houses will also be built for police on the APY Lands.

"The injection of extra police recognises the need to keep the community safe both the Anangu and for the workers," he said.

"It will also ensure that we crack down on the trafficking of drugs and alcohol."

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