As broadcast in our previous bulletin, Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) had formally written to the PSA regarding its plan to have contact visits resume on Saturday 26 February 2022.

The PSA, on behalf of the POVB, lodged a Section 130 Dispute with the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW. The matter was listed for Conciliation in front of Commissioner Muir on Wednesday 23 February 2022 at 11:45am.

The PSA put its case as to why any member of the public who wishes to attend a Correctional Centre to visit an inmate must be Rapid Antigen Screening (RAS) tested.

• Currently all persons entering a CC must be RAS tested daily. If it is a requirement for them, then it must be a requirement for visitors.
• Visitors and inmates won’t be able to restrain themselves from touching, hugging and kissing, thus transmitting the virus.
• Some visitors will attempt to introduce contraband. This will include items that have been secreted in body cavities, then transferred to the inmate who will place in their body cavities, again causing virus transmission.
• Regional centres house inmates whose families would probably reside in a major city, where majority of active cases reside. If the visitor is not RAS tested the person may unwittingly infect the centre and the regional community.

The PSA presented other reasons as well as those listed above in its submission.

CSNSW was resolute in its position that visitors would not be RAS tested, continually relying on the advice it receives from NSW Health, as indicated in the previous bulletin on this matter.

Commissioner Muir understood both parties’ positions and recommended that CSNSW approach NSW Health with a view to have restrictions currently in place against staff be reviewed.

The PSA/POVB and CSNSW will have further meetings in an attempt to resolve this matter. A meeting has now been flagged for early next week.

As a result, there will not be any in person contact visits in Correctional Centres this weekend.

We will provide further updates as soon as possible.