Content warning: this article includes references to suicide and self-harm.
Meghan Baxter's husband, Kamilaroi man Shane Yule, has been locked in Parklea Correctional Centre for thirteen days.
In that time, Ms Baxter says he has been denied basic hygiene measures, including washing himself.
"He hasn't been given a change of clothes, his wounds are dirty and he has got black eyes," she told NITV after visiting her husband in jail.
She says that her husband has also been denied access to his prescribed mental health medications of diazepam and lexapro, instead receiving sertraline, which he is allergic to. Mr Yule suffers from an intellectual disability, anxiety, depression and borderline personality disorder.
"It's from a lot of intergenerational trauma ... things that happened to him when he was younger," she told NITV.
St Vincent's Health Australia provides healthcare services at Parklea Correction.
They rejected Ms Baxter's accusations as "baseless".
"Our review supports that Mr Yule has received appropriate care on a timely basis, involving regular review by our clinicians and the provision of any appropriate medications in a timely fashion.
"There are no outstanding issues relating to his clinical care, nor his access to medication."
Shane hasn't seen or heard from his children since his arrest
Ms Baxter said her partner's struggles with mental health saw him attempt to take his own life twice in the first week that he was in Parklea prison.
After the first attempt, Ms Baxter said her husband was given razors by Parklea Correctional Officers to shave his face, and that he used the blades in his second attempt.
Mr Yule was left with a significant wound which she saw after visiting him at Parklea, she said.
"Where he's harmed himself, he had to get 22 stitches in his arm."
In a statement to NITV, an MTC Australia spokesperson refuted the claims, saying safety is the company's "number one priority".
"[The centre] is subject to the same rules and regulations that apply to prison operated by Corrective Services NSW."
The statement said inmates are able to have regular phone calls, video calls and in-person visits, are provided a "personal pack" upon entry. and are subject to physical and mental health assessments to identify "any issues or risks, such as self-harm".
Those who are identified as 'at risk' may be "placed away from the general population" in protective custody or clinical observation.
Shane hasn't seen or heard from his children since his arrest
"My worry is that because of his suicide attempts, the guards have threatened him with losing all privileges where he can't see the letters from our babies. He's not allowed to talk to anyone. He's been held in segregation.
"I miss him. I think for your mental health, you should be entitled to see your babies, just to keep strong."
Shane and Meghan have a 5-month-old and two-year-old. They haven't seen or heard from their father since his arrest.
Her biggest fear is that he will take his own life because he can't see his children.
"Coming into NAIDOC Week, my husband can't see his children and God forbid that he takes his life."
"My husband is another Indigenous man who hasn't been violent and has ended up in custody in the awful hands of neglect."
"This is my husband's first time in custody ever... he hasn't been violent to an inmate or guard. He's been cooperating the whole time," she told NITV.
Parklea problems persist
It's not the first time that Parklea has been accused of poor conditions.
Family members of some of the men involved pointed the finger at the NSW government's 2008 privatisation of Parklea, which has been managed by MTC Ventia since June 2020.
A 2018 NSW parliamentary inquiry found that GEO Group Australia, the company contracted to run Parklea, had "failed to manage the prison effectively, and failed to recognise and address the significant and systemic problems that occurred there."
The inquiry also deemed the Inspector of Custodial Services, the independent oversight body which reviews the conditions and treatment of the state's inmates, as "inadequate", and recommended the government give it greater resources.
Then Minister for Corrections David Elliot did not support the recommendation.
Ms Baxter believes the systemic problems are persisting at Parklea.
"The privatisation of Parklea has shown more neglect and more deaths and no one is doing anything about it," she said.
"I've raised the complaint with MTC Broadspectrum which runs Parklea. They haven't responded to my emails."
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