Three-months after the nation’s second-hottest day in recorded history, inmates at Roebourne Regional Prison remain without air-conditioning.
The Pilbara town reached a record 50.5 degrees on January 14, with justice advocates raising concerns for the well-being of inmates left to swelter through the heat.
Since that date, the WA state government has not formally considered the installation of air-conditioning in cells.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told NITV News a commissioned for consideration a report on “requirements and indicative costs to install air-conditioning across all cells”.
“While a number of effective controls are in place to manage the heat risk at Roebourne Regional Prison, the Department of Justice is always working to improve service delivery and operational efficiency.”
Serious health risks
The Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (ALSWA) had been advocating for the installation of air-conditioning long before January 14.
The legal service wrote to the WA Attorney-General, the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and the Minister for Corrective Services in August of 2021. Four months later, the service sent another letter to the Ministers.
Peter Collins, director of legal services at ALSWA, wrote that the Inspector of Custodial Services had continually raised concerns about climate control measures at Roebourne, with the first report issued in 2002.
“Over many years the Inspector has emphasised the seriousness of the health risks associated with the inadequate climate control and we are very concerned about the lack of movement on these recommendations,” wrote Mr Collins.
In response, Corrective Services Minister Bill Johnston said when Roebourne Regional Prison was constructed in 1984, air-conditioning was “not the standard in the local community or a feature of most homes”.
A 2016 photo of a cell in Roebourne Regional Prison in Western Australia. Source: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services
“Relative to other forms of temperature control, air conditioning is likely to require extensive retrofitting for efficient operation.”
The Minister noted that other “climate control initiatives” were introduced since construction, including six ice machines, two of which have been upgraded, chilled water fountains, shade sails and shaded verandas to reduce sunlight exposure to cells and heat reducing paint.
He also noted “local solutions” including sunscreen, wide-brimmed hats, fridges and freezers, water bottles, electrolyte drinks, and signage.
On March 14 Mr Collins responded to the Minister, noting the measures fell “woefully short of meaningfully addressing the climate conditions at the prison” and that whilst local solutions “provide some small comfort for prisoners who are outside during the day, they will undeniably do nothing to reduce the temperatures within the cells, at any time of the day.”
Three days later, representatives from ALSWA and the Department met.
"The meeting that our ALS had with Johnston demonstrated that he had no interest in the welfare of Aboriginal prisons in Roebourne Regional Prison,” Mr Collins told NITV News.
“He was more focused on issues around the prison officer workforce at the jail. That's reflective in the fact that office spaces and areas occupied by prison officers at Roebourne are air-conditioned.
“That gives you the true scope of where the priorities lie.”
Disgusting and disgraceful
Almost 80 per cent of inmates at Roebourne Regional Prison are Aboriginal people. Mr Collins is concerned the lack of response is the result of an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ attitude.
“They only get away with this because the vast majority of prisoners in Roebourne Regional Prison are Aboriginal prisoners. They would not get away with this in a big metropolitan jail where the majority of prisoners were non-Aboriginal,” he said.
"Aboriginal people, particularly those in custody, are not a priority for the government. That is disgusting and disgraceful.”
In 2008, Ngaanyatjarra Elder, Mr Ward died in custody during a four-hour journey from Laverton to Kalgoorlie.
Mr Ward was transported in the back of a police van and exposed to temperatures of up to 56 degrees.
“It is obvious that the government hasn't learnt any lessons from the tragic case of Mr Ward,” said Mr Collins.
“He perished in the back of a prison van where the air conditioning wasn't working and those responsibly for his transport knew it. The temperatures that prisoners are experiencing at Roebourne Regional Prison is similar to the temperature which would have been present at the time of Mr Ward's death.
"Again, the lessons of history seem to be lost on government.”
Dr Brad Pettitt is supporting the ALSWA in their advocacy for Aboriginal inmates at Roebourne Regional Prison Source: NITV
WA Government's "total denial"
Greens MLC Dr Brad Pettitt also wrote to Minister Johnston, supporting the ALSWA.
“We’re seeing rising temperatures, you've got conditions in there that will be unacceptable pretty well, anywhere in the world,” he said.
"My real frustration and deep disappointment is that this government are totally aware of this issue, and yet they are going out of their way to do nothing.”
