Published Friday, 16 March, 2007 at 11:38 AM
Minister for Police and Corrective Services
The Honourable Judy Spence
SPENCE: MESSENGER GETS IT WRONG AGAIN
Rob Messenger continues to get it wrong about policing and corrective services issues, Judy Spence said today.
Corrective Services Minister Ms Spence said Mr Messenger has failed to make one sensible comment on her portfolio since he became shadow spokesman.
“This has been demonstrated again today by his latest comments about the new prisoner uniforms,” Ms Spence said.
Ms Spence said Mr Messenger’s comments about the new prisoner uniforms were dead wrong, and showed he had not even bothered to check his facts before going to the media.
“Mr Messenger is claiming that the prisoner uniforms are black, but they are actually khaki and denim,” Ms Spence said.
“There is no black fabric in the new prisoner uniforms whatsoever.
“Mr Messenger has gone off on a tangent and issued a media release with a series of ridiculous claims all relating to the fact that these new prisoner uniforms are black.
“This is absurd, and shows yet again his inability to check the facts before mouthing off.”
Ms Spence said Mr Messenger was ill-informed and poorly advised.
“This is beginning to affect his ability to perform his role as a Shadow spokesman,” Ms Spence said.
“Mr Messenger’s latest downright dishonest press release claims that he has “…‘exposed’ Beattie Government plans for new ‘prisoner uniforms’ – stylish numbers featuring the latest in dark colours – black and plenty of it,” Ms Spence said.
“However, Rob Messenger was sitting there in Parliament when I announced the new uniforms last week.
“Further, the uniform designs had even been published in the local paper too.
“The Premier last week suggested Rob is terrified of me and won’t ask me questions, and I’m beginning to think that is true. He has never even raised this issue with me to ask me for a briefing or get the facts.”
Ms Spence said it was laughable for Rob Messenger to talk about escapes.
“The last escape from secure custody actually happened when his National Party was in office. There has never been an escape from secure custody under the Beattie Government,” Ms Spence said.
“Rob Messenger’s own National Party were the ones who let notorious armed robber Brendan Abbott and his cohorts escape when they were last in government.”
Ms Spence said the new prisoner uniform designs, in khaki and denim, resulted from a unique partnership between Queensland Corrective Services and the Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE.
“The new prisoner uniform design is more robust, long-wearing and won’t require ironing and is cheaper than the current uniform” Ms Spence said.
“The design takes into account security with limited pockets and metal zips. It will cater to the temperature variations across the state, and will adapt to a range of body shapes and sizes.
“The current ‘prison browns’ have to be dyed that colour – which adds to the cost of the fabric. Instead, these new uniforms for men and women – in regular shades of khaki and teal –will be cheap to make and so simple in design that they can be made by unskilled prison labour.”
Ms Spence said Queensland prisoners will receive new uniforms to replace the 20-year old prison brown designs.
Media contact: Alison Smith 3239 6218
Corrective Services Minister Ms Spence said Mr Messenger has failed to make one sensible comment on her portfolio since he became shadow spokesman.
“This has been demonstrated again today by his latest comments about the new prisoner uniforms,” Ms Spence said.
Ms Spence said Mr Messenger’s comments about the new prisoner uniforms were dead wrong, and showed he had not even bothered to check his facts before going to the media.
“Mr Messenger is claiming that the prisoner uniforms are black, but they are actually khaki and denim,” Ms Spence said.
“There is no black fabric in the new prisoner uniforms whatsoever.
“Mr Messenger has gone off on a tangent and issued a media release with a series of ridiculous claims all relating to the fact that these new prisoner uniforms are black.
“This is absurd, and shows yet again his inability to check the facts before mouthing off.”
Ms Spence said Mr Messenger was ill-informed and poorly advised.
“This is beginning to affect his ability to perform his role as a Shadow spokesman,” Ms Spence said.
“Mr Messenger’s latest downright dishonest press release claims that he has “…‘exposed’ Beattie Government plans for new ‘prisoner uniforms’ – stylish numbers featuring the latest in dark colours – black and plenty of it,” Ms Spence said.
“However, Rob Messenger was sitting there in Parliament when I announced the new uniforms last week.
“Further, the uniform designs had even been published in the local paper too.
“The Premier last week suggested Rob is terrified of me and won’t ask me questions, and I’m beginning to think that is true. He has never even raised this issue with me to ask me for a briefing or get the facts.”
Ms Spence said it was laughable for Rob Messenger to talk about escapes.
“The last escape from secure custody actually happened when his National Party was in office. There has never been an escape from secure custody under the Beattie Government,” Ms Spence said.
“Rob Messenger’s own National Party were the ones who let notorious armed robber Brendan Abbott and his cohorts escape when they were last in government.”
Ms Spence said the new prisoner uniform designs, in khaki and denim, resulted from a unique partnership between Queensland Corrective Services and the Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE.
“The new prisoner uniform design is more robust, long-wearing and won’t require ironing and is cheaper than the current uniform” Ms Spence said.
“The design takes into account security with limited pockets and metal zips. It will cater to the temperature variations across the state, and will adapt to a range of body shapes and sizes.
“The current ‘prison browns’ have to be dyed that colour – which adds to the cost of the fabric. Instead, these new uniforms for men and women – in regular shades of khaki and teal –will be cheap to make and so simple in design that they can be made by unskilled prison labour.”
Ms Spence said Queensland prisoners will receive new uniforms to replace the 20-year old prison brown designs.
Media contact: Alison Smith 3239 6218