Correctional Services Bill: further corrections required

The Northern Territory Commissioner of Correctional Services has invited  stakeholders to comment on this draft of the Correctional Services Bill 2014 (NT).  CLANT has contributed this submission. Although CLANT acknowledges that the draft is a significant improvement on earlier versions of the legislation, in CLANT’s view the Bill in its current form still fails to adequately protect the basic rights of prisoners, and inadequately regulates the exercise of powers by correctional services officers. 

The North Australia Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) and the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service (CAALAS) have lodged this joint submission, raising similar concerns and addressing the provisons of the Bill in greater detail.

In addition, the Human Rights Law Centre has made this submission, highlighting aspects of the Bill which are, it is argued, incompatible with Australia’s human rights obligations.