Australia's worst serial killer Ivan Milat tells of 'apartment-like' prison living in Supermax
Australia’s worst serial killer has boasted about his life in Supermax, writing about his "apartment-like" prison cell and living conditions.
Backpacker killer Ivan Milat is currently serving seven life sentences, one for each victim.
Milat was convicted and sentenced in 1996 for the murders, the victims’ bodies were dumped in the Belanglo State Forest, south west of Sydney.
To date, Milat remains one of the longest serving inmates in Supermax since it opened in 2001.
Writing to News Corp, Milat told of his day-to-day life in Goulburn’s Supermax, saying the food was "OK" and his cell was a bit like an apartment.
Milat, 71, wrote conditions were better than other prisons.
He told news.com.au that he wasn’t stuck in a cell "all day".
“During the day one can wander around the front or back yard,” he wrote in neat writing.
He also said he had access to the library, exercise yards, basketball court and running track.
Milat wrote he had use of hot water, power points and access to a phone if he wanted to.
News Corp writes Milat enjoyed his coffee black with sugar and special biscuits, which he ordered in “buy ups” into the prison.
He claimed Supermax inmates received privileges to “keep us calm”.
“HRM they supply all our gear, TV radio etc., out in main prison one has to purchase all of it,” he wrote.
“They supply it to keep us calm. If it breaks down, they replace it.
“The food is fairly good. In 2001 it came to us in sealed packs and that is how it is in all NSW prisons.
“Any special diets, Muslims etc. are catered for. No guess work on that, once a person declares himself a Muslim then he always issued the religious friendly meals.”
In 2006 he made headlines for his prison antics after a sandwich maker and television were confiscated and he went on a hunger strike.
In 2009 he used a plastic knife to cut off his little finger in protest of being denied inquiry into his conviction.
Milat also watered down assumptions that Supermax was a tough prison.
“I gather you think this place HRM/Supermax is something really special,” he wrote.
“I know that it is portrayed as the harshest place in the system.
“It certainly is high security, the number of keepers to care for us, five-six or more before they open up a cell even just to hand over the mail or our meals.
“It’s not a concern for me or anyone, it’s just how it is. I can see how it costs $320,000 a year per HRMU prisoner.
“It’s not a luxury place for sure, it’s a prison.”
He also wrote overcrowding wasn’t an issue at Supermax: “You refer to crowded in HRM? It isn't,” he wrote.
"Not in here, far from it and for every cell with a prisoner in it, there is a cell that is vacant (simply not enough dangerous ones out there I suppose!)."
Milat, who appeared polite and somewhat humourous in his writing signed off his letter as “The Saint” accompanied by the word “innocent”.
His writings back reports last year which detailed the Christmas celebration of Supermax inmates in 2015.
Prisoners were reportedly treated to Halal chicken, cranberry sauce, potatoes and vegetables due to the number of Muslim inmates behind bars.
It’s reported Milat is only one of two non-Muslim inmates.
It was reported inmates were able to buy confectionary, toiletries, coffee and other food products as part of the “buy up” program mentioned by Milat.
The notorious criminals at Supermax
• Ivan Milat - Sentenced to seven life sentences plus 18 years for the Belanglo State Forest backpacker murders.
• Bassam Hamzy - Found guilty of murder and conspiring to murder a witness. Also founded street gang ‘Brothers for Life’.
• Bilal Skaf - Serial gang rapist. Originally jailed for 55 years, his sentence was modified to 31 years behind bars.
• Malcolm Baker - Sentenced to six life sentences plus 25 years for the 1992 Terrigal Massacre.
• Malcolm Naden - Jailed for two murders, indecent assault of a minor and attempted murder.
