Parklea Prison: No calls for six days

Parklea Prison

Dear Justice Action,

The last calls that were made out of Parklea Correctional Complex by my partner, an inmate in remand at Parklea, was on Wednesday 2 February. The phone lines for the inmates have been out of service to this date.

This is proving to be a major emotional struggle, which triggered my thoughts and actions to take drastic measures as with the Hunger Strike.

I am not coping well with this isolation. I am sincerely saddened, and I don't know how to deal with the pain.

I went through this same distress the week beginning 23 January 2005, where again the same problem existed. The phones were down for a whole week.

What can be done?

Anita

Hi Anita,

Did you try writing to your partner?

Contact: Parklea Prison
PO Box 6148
Blacktown 2148
Ph: 9626 7122

Sometimes there is little or no phone access in prison because of overcrowding, excessive lockdowns or measures having regard for the ultimate control by the Department of Corrective Services 'For the good order and security of the gaol'.

However there should be a welfare officer at Parklea so contact the prison on the phone number above and ask the welfare officer to get your friend to ring you up. Welfare can arrange emergency calls if they want to.

Let me know if there is no welfare officer at Parklea?

A hunger strike is an extreme measure and I would like to invite you to the idea that there is never 'only one-way to solve a problem'. On a scale from say, 1-10 your extreme measure rates 10.

By writing a letter to your partner it will serve at least two purposes.

It will get what is bothering you off your chest.

And get you around the phone problem for now.

If you remain on a hunger strike you will only do your self harm.

Let us help you and be our friend because we already know other ways to help you without you taking extreme measures that probably won't work in your endeavour to contact your partner.

Ask the prison if there are any problems with the phone and explain your situation about not being able to make contact with you partner for six days.

Justice Action

By Just Us 9 February 05

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History of trauma dogs sole parents with government's discriminating against fathers

Australia's sole parents including those who were squarely divided by the [Anti-] Family Court of Australia which include tens of thousands of lone mothers on welfare [social services] benefits [or who work], [and tens of thousands of lone fathers] on [social services benefits or who work] have experienced rape, physical assault, torture, mental health disorders, [and discrimination] at some time during their life, [by a new study] a new study shows.[?]

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[But no mention or comparison or any suffering of significant discrimination drawn here, leading researchers to urge sensitivity in the implementation of social services reforms with sole fathers.]

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[But no research about what a minority of sole fathers face? Why not?]

[In the past the [Anti-]Family Court has encouraged family breakdown by introducing the 'no fault law' which isolated the children from the protection of both parents, by awarding custody to one parent, even if that parent was the one who made the mistake, like jumping the back fence while the other parent was at work.]

[No fault law means no parent was at fault for the breakdown of their marriage, no matter what wrong was done to the other parent by one parent. If one parent caused the breakdown they were not at fault.

But if one parent caused a traffic accident in a motor vehicle on the road then the police would charge the person in the wrong. This no fault law led to parents leaving the marriage and claiming it was the other parents fault when the marriage broke down and then possibly being awarded custody of the children of the marriage by the Anti-Family Court.]

[It probably seemed fair and cost effective at the time for the Anti-Family Court, just to get people out of the court. However, in the long term, it also meant throwing away the art of conflict resolution, deciding who made the mistake and how that could be understood better by making one party responsible for their commitments and mistakes and was reckless.]

[The Australian government may have decided a broken family is easier to control, that is until they had to pick up the tab of the cost of raising the children themselves.]

[The government had become the breadwinners, now both parents were on social services too, to avoid paying maintenance, and probably still some ar, because they did not agree with the quick fix and some were denied access to their children. Many offended parents thought that they did not make the mistake.]

Peter Butterworth, a post-doctoral fellow at the centre, said there were two possible explanations for the link between traumatic experiences and sole parent status.

"Either these women have actually left violent relationships or their early experience of childhood and adolescent abuse has interfered with their ability to develop and maintain positive relationships," he said.

[And or these women had 'jumped the back fence' claiming that they never made a mistake and the Anti-Family Court agreed with them and granted them custody of the children.]

[So did the Anti-Family Court's influence make it easier to break- down the marriage using (no fault law) rather than helping to resolve the issues the family faced, at the time, with counseling in order for them to try and stay together. The counseling costs more?]

The study, based on the 1997 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, is the first to shed light on the deeper problems many sole parent [?mothers] beneficiaries' face. Previous studies have focused on their poorer educational qualifications, work experiences, transport and child-care problems.

Dr Butterworth said he was surprised the differences were so marked between the life experiences of a significant group of sole mothers [?] on welfare [social services] and the other mothers.

[But not sole fathers and the other fathers or mothers or the discrimination and bias.]

For example, 19 per cent of the sole mothers reported having been raped compared to 6 per cent of mothers not on welfare [social services;] and 26 per cent had been the victim of a serious physical attack compared to less than 10 per cent of other mothers. As well, 21 per cent of the sole mothers had been "threatened with a weapon or tortured" compared to 7 per cent of the other women.

[But nothing said here about sole mothers jumping the back fence for sex with another partner? Why not? If that is in fact the case? Because this article is bias. Also again, nothing for example about what sole fathers reported?]

But even these figures under-estimated the extent of trauma suffered by many sole parent beneficiaries, the study found.

Sole mothers were more likely to have experienced multiple problems, such as childhood adversity and domestic violence, or alcohol problems and depressive illness. Most of the non-welfare [non-social services] recipient mothers had experienced one or no major psychological traumas. But about 70 per cent of the sole parents had suffered two or more.

[But how many of them sole mothers jumped the back fence and claimed that they did no wrong? And what about the likely experience of sole father's and their multiple problems? Didn't they have any? I mean compared to sole mothers and non-social services recipient fathers?]

"It's not just about poverty or lack of work skills," Dr Butterworth said. "It's the personal experience of abuse, the level of violence in their lives, and the mental health problems that are fundamental barriers. If you don't do something about these issues the other sort of interventions to get these women into work will not be effective."

[And it is also about the 'personal experience' of them jumping the back fence and screwing the next door neighbour, whilst their partner was at work, and not making them responsible for their failures and commitments, and the implementation of counseling, and the 80-20 rules in the Anti-Family Court. If you don't do something about these issues the other sort of interventions to get these people into work will not be effective .]

Dr Butterworth said new welfare [social services] reform measures that required sole parents to attend Centrelink interviews were potentially helpful. "But it is important that policy makers and interviewers understand the circumstances of these women's lives and provide appropriate assistance and support," he said.

[But it is not important that policy makers and interviewers understand the circumstances of these men or Dr Butterworth's discriminatory study into these mens lives and provide appropriate assistance and support?]

By Family Breakdown 19 May 03

THE FATHERS: In the past the Anti-Family Court of Australia has encouraged family breakdown by introducing the no fault law - to make it easier for one parent to opt out - which isolated the children from the protection of both parents, opposed to one parent. - and one set of grandparents, opposed to two sets of grandparents - because one parent wanted out - usually the parent who lacked responsibility and commitment.

If governments seek the easy way out by not providing children and parents with better social skills, communication and conflict resolution and settle for short answers like encouraging family breakdown then there is a price. Social Services and broken families!

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When welfare is cut that is exactly what they will do. So who suffers from welfare penalties? The community especially the ones who lost their sheep just recently.

Shoplifters don't leave the carton or the packet and if they did it wouldn't change the loss.

So before your house is broken into and your property is stolen then take a look at the article below and decide for yourself about welfare penalties.

The Federal Government has succeeded in extending a welfare penalty regime to single parents and older unemployed people.

The Senate has passed a bill for the changes after significant concessions by the Government, which had been trying to get it through since last year's Budget.

A breakthrough came after a deal with the Democrats to reduce penalties for first-time offenders and for a taskforce to review the welfare penalty enforcement system.

The new measures will clear the way for a $900 million package of welfare reform, says Community Services Minister Amanda Vanstone.

"We had to make concessions in order to get it through but we wanted to make that investment in welfare," she said.

Greens Senator Kerry Nettle says the penalties are still too harsh and will harm those most at risk, causing "hardship, misery and homelessness".

Labor agrees and has accused the Democrats of thumbing their noses at the unemployed.

Aust militants join front line as Democrats propose anti-war Bill: Pre-emptive strikes?

Bad example sets a theme for disaster at law says, professor Wrong Precedent, from the NSW Bad Law Association. Pre-emptive strikes. Does that mean you go on strike if you think your boss will attack you? Or does it mean that you can walk down George Street Sydney with an assault riffle and take out citizens you think may strike you?

Attempted thong theft costs $560

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By Hun Gry 28 March 03

THE PEASANT: "They had to make concessions in order to get it through but they wanted to make that investment in warfare." he said.

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Corrections Victoria and criminal acts: SCS-4\320 UPDATE

Mr Kelvin Anderson Commissioner
Re: Barwon Prison
Fax: (03) 96276611
Phone (03) 96276600

Re: Mr SCS-4\320

Dear Mr Anderson,

Thank you for your letter dated 5 Feb 03.

In reference to our letter to you dated 22 January 03 requesting information regarding Mr SCS-4\320.

You have stated "Section 30 of the Corrections Act 1986 and the Information Privacy Act 2000, restricts the release of confidential information regarding prisoners, I therefore am unable to provide any information regarding this matter."

[I therefore describe your action as above stated as a contempt to a prisoners plight and using the said legislation to cover up for your criminal acts. The legislation you have referred to was not meant to protect Corrective Services Victoria from the commission of a crime, it was meant to protect the prisoner from being exploited by Corrections Victoria.]

SCS-4\320 main health risk was that he was on a hunger strike since 8 January 03. We noted other concerns in our letter to you dated 22 Jan 03, including general questions like "Why is there no Welfare Officer at Barwon Prison?" I fail to see what privacy restrictions are placed on general questions about the way prisoners are treated."

Privacy for prisoner's benefit has been waived by SCS-4\320 request. The Department of Justice seems to use privacy as an excuse to conceal a possible crisis situation and prevent examination and public concern.

Please respond urgently with information about SCS-4\320 after you contact him if necessary.

Thanks
Gregory Kable
10 February 2003

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The Government is likely to abolish the Inspector General of Corrective Services position The Mulawa inspection report recommendations below strictly illustrate how important he is.

Black Nexus
The Separation of Powers Doctrine is nowcontaminated witharangeofcolours, now leaving us with a black shirt on a once blue bridge that crossed that thin blue line. The 'Amery and Woodham show'.

Prison Mind Games-Do they exist?
Directives are given inside the prison system that are not consistent with the law in NSW. And not in the good interests of the health and well being of the prisoners.