The Senior Executive Advisory Group (SEAG) and Commissioned Officers Vocational Branch (COVB) and of the Public Service Association (PSA) formally expresses its full support for the Prison Officers Vocational Branch (POVB) and the members of Cessnock Correctional Centre in response to the grossly inadequate sentencing outcome following the unprovoked assault on four Correctional Officers in February 2025.

The decision of the Cessnock Local Court on 29 October 2025 to impose only a Community Corrections Order upon the inmate responsible for this violent incident fails to reflect the seriousness of the offence, the trauma suffered by staff, and the critical importance of deterrence in maintaining safety within NSW correctional centres.

SEAG and COVB acknowledge:

• The danger faced by correctional staff daily and the devastating impact such assaults have on their physical and psychological wellbeing.
• The inadequacy of current judicial responses to violence against correctional officers, which undermine confidence in the justice system and jeopardise workplace safety.
• The right of correctional staff, through their industrial bodies, to protest and take industrial action in defence of their safety, dignity, and professional integrity.

SEAG and COVB therefore call upon:

1. The NSW Government to engage directly with the PSA and its vocational branches to ensure greater consistency, accountability, and transparency in judicial outcomes affecting correctional officers.
2.  All PSA members, stand in solidarity with the POVB, advocating for safer working environments and stronger protections for all CSNSW staff.

SEAG and COVB further recognise:

Obviously, it is difficult for SEAG and COVB members to withdraw their labour during an industrial dispute or action. Nevertheless, we ask all staff to support and stand united with each other during this critical time, reinforcing our shared commitment to safety, fairness, and respect across all correctional facilities.