Barnett rejects CHOGM prison fears

UPDATE: West Australian Premier Colin Barnett has rejected concerns that protesters arrested during the Commonwealth leaders’ meeting will cause overcrowding in the state’s prisons.

The state opposition corrective services spokesman Fran Logan says the prison system is already overcrowded and an influx of protesters would put guards under pressure and lead to fights among inmates.

CHOGM is to be held in Perth from October 28-30 with a range of protest groups planning marches and other actions.

But Mr Barnett told reporters today that if protesters disrupted the event they would be moved on and anyone committing assaults or other offences would be treated under the law like anyone else.

“I do not expect to see large numbers of arrests during CHOGM, that simply will not happen,” he said.

Prison bosses are preparing an emergency plan to deal with a flood of inmates if there are mass arrests during the meeting.

As police put the finishing touches to one of the State's biggest security operations, the Department of Corrective Services is working on a contingency plan for an influx of accused troublemakers who are remanded in custody.

Releasing people on bail after their first court appearance acts as a pressure relief valve for the prison system but it is understood police and prosecutors may oppose bail to ensure rioters are kept off the street.

The department has denied rumours that beds at Hakea, where accused men are sent while they await trial, were being cleared in anticipation of a surge linked to CHOGM.

"The department is well placed to handle a spike in the prison population, should one occur," a spokeswoman said.

The contingency plan could not be discussed because it was operation-sensitive.

Shadow corrective services minister Fran Logan questioned whether there was enough space in the system to accommodate an influx.

"Hakea prison copes, only just, because of double bunking. Where exactly is the government going to put extra prisoners remanded because of CHOGM?

"Casuarina, Hakea and Acacia, the biggest prisons in the State, are all at bursting point.

"If the numbers arrested and remanded over CHOGM remain low, prison management will try and cope by putting three prisoners in a cell built for one.

"If numbers arrested, detained and remanded over CHOGM are high, the WA prison system simply will not be able to cope and I presume the Government will resort to temporary holding camps."

Corrective Services Minister Terry Redman said there was "more than adequate capacity" in the event of mass arrests during CHOGM.

Hakea was built in 1982 and was designed to house 325 prisoners. Its capacity is 617 but it can accommodate up to 919 people. On Thursday there were 755 men in the facility.