Palaszczuk Government continues to boost front line services in Queensland

The Palaszczuk Government continues to boost front line services in Queensland and has welcomed the latest 22 custodial officers to graduate from the Queensland Corrective Services Academy at Wacol. 

Keeping the community safe and rehabilitation were recurring themes expressed by the graduates as they were received into the service by Corrective Services Minister Jo-Ann Miller. 

The positive attitude of the new officers and their trainers was praised by Minister Miller. 

“The training team here is a thoroughly professional unit with the vision of producing the best Corrections system in Australia. They should be proud of their work,” Minister Miller said. 

“The first priority for the new graduates is to keep the community safe, but at the same time they all articulate a strong desire to play a part in the rehabilitation of prisoners. I am delighted to see this. 

“A key role in the rehabilitation of prisoners is officers using their communication skills to be an agent of change, a role model and case manager.” 

The graduates will work in either the Woodford Correctional Centre or assigned to Maryborough Correctional Centre.

“The trend suggests that these graduates are here for the long haul, with most correctional officers spending at least 15 years in the Queensland corrective system,” Minister Miller said. “That indicates to me that our system is offering opportunities for staff to progress their careers.”  

Graduates from the Wacol academy spend 364 hours of intensive training, including two weeks’ experience inside a correctional centre, to prepare for their role. 

“They master the skills of offender management, centre procedures, behaviour management, conflict resolution and control and restraint. 

“All custodial officers are asked to demonstrate honesty, integrity and professionalism, and they must be dependable and reliable. The custodial officer entry program tests and encourages this. Seeing the quality of graduates flowing out of this centre gives me great confidence as Corrections Minister,” Minister Miller said. 

“I have no doubt these attributes, coupled with the skills acquired by custodial officers when working alongside their peers, has contributed to the fact there has not been an escape from a high security correctional centre in Queensland for 17 years. 

“The strong focus placed by our system on rehabilitating prisoners also is extremely encouraging to me.” 

At the graduation ceremony, Excellence Awards were presented to outstanding Corrections staff from around Queensland. These staff go into contention for higher departmental awards and can become eligible for Premier’s Awards to be presented later in the year. 

Media contact: John Gardiner (Minister Miller’s Office): 0408 623 467