Figures reveal North West prisons most understaffed in State, Union warns of ‘critical levels’

North West prisons are the most understaffed in the State, according to new figures released in Parliament, with one in every five jobs at Broome Regional Prison unfilled.

Detailed in response to questions from North Metropolitan Region MLC Peter Collier in Parliament, figures revealed Broome Regional Prison had a staff vacancy rate of 19 per cent, the highest in the State.

Derby’s West Kimberley Regional Prison and the Pilbara’s Roebourne Prison had 12 per cent vacancy rates.

The numbers dwarf those of other prisons around the State, with Casuarina Prison — the largest in the State — and Bunbury Regional Prison sitting at 3 per cent.

It comes after the WA Prison Officers’ Union issued a safety warning over critical staffing levels at Broome Regional Prison in August as scores of public sector workers around WA walked off the job in protest of the State Government’s wages policy.

Speaking at the Broome protest, West Kimberley Regional Prison senior officer Paul Morris said staff had been left disheartened by the State Government’s pay policy.

“We’re short-staffed, we’re underpaid and we’re expected to do the job of several people,” he said at the time.

In response to questions from the Broome Advertiser, a Department of Justice spokesperson said more prison officers were currently being trained.

“We have a pipeline of candidates to fulfil entry-level training programs for early 2023 and are about to commence a Statewide campaign to ensure a bank of talent for ELTPS later in the year,” they said.

“Currently there are six entry-level training programs scheduled for 2023 which will result in another 144 prison officers trained and operational. The first commences in January.”

The spokesperson said current staffing levels were sufficient to manage the existing prisoner population in Broome and West Kimberley prisons “safely and securely.”

Despite the department’s comments, WA Prison Officers’ Union secretary Andy Smith said staffing levels at Broome Regional Prison were at “critical levels” and exhausted prison officers were being called back in to work.

“Broome Prison is drastically understaffed. Now the Commissioner for Corrective Services and the superintendent are ordering prison officers to come in on their days off,” he said.

“This is completely unacceptable. Every jail in the State is understaffed and officers are not being provided with a safe work environment.”

By the end of 2022 the Corrective Services Academy will have delivered 146 prison officers and 11 Special Operations Group Officers, according to the Department of Justice.