MARK COLVIN: Forty per cent of prison inmates with Hepatitis C.
That was the result of the latest voluntary blood testing in one ACT prison.
Hep C rates are believed to be high in jails around the country - yet the union which represents 10,000 public prison officers has again said it opposes a trial prison needle exchange.
The ACT government is yet to decide if it will go ahead with a proposed pilot prison needle exchange program.
The decision is being closely watched around the country after national calls for similar pilot programs in all prisons.
Adrienne Francis reports.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: Forty per cent of inmates at one Canberra prison tested positive to Hepatitis C last month as part of voluntary testing.
But prison populations are transient and there's debate about when and where the prisoners were infected.
ANNIE MADDEN: There are window periods for these viruses so people can take up to three months, even longer, to actually show that they have tested positive after a transmission.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: Annie Madden heads up the peak organisation representing the nation's injecting drug users.
ANNIE MADDEN: We know that we have high levels of Hepatitis C in Australian prisons. We know that we have a high level of injecting drug use in Australian prisons. And we know that people do not have access through any formal program to new injecting equipment. Those three things in the general community translate into Hepatitis C transmissions.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: The Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League is among a growing number of organisations and high profile Australians campaigning for needle exchange programs to be introduced within all prisons.
John Ryan is the head of the independent public health organisation Anex.
JOHN RYAN: The Australian Medical Association amongst many other expert organisations are supporting a trial of prison needle and syringe program. They're doing it because the evidence is very strong A: that the program would effectively address Hepatitis C risk, but B: we need to actually be straightforward and honest with the Australian community about the risk of prison for community health. So it's not about prisoners alone.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: They're facing strong opposition from the Community and Public Sector Union which represents more than 10,000 public prison officers.
National secretary Nadine Flood says the union remains opposed to a proposed pilot in the ACT.
NADINE FLOOD: We are obligated to fight for and represent our members wherever they work and in this case there are a number of concerns that have been raised by prison officers in the ACT prison, but also in other prisons about the proposals that are on the table.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: Advocates of the proposed pilot say existing overseas programs have shown fears about needle stick injury and increased violence are unwarranted.
ANNIE MADDEN: So we now have needle and syringe programs in over … 50 program in over nine countries throughout the world and the evaluations of those across the board have found no evidence of violence and the use of syringes as violence against either prisoners or prison staff.
JOHN RYAN: It is a political football. Prisoners are often the last people that, certainly not the people that win elections. Union opposition from prison officers is very strong, just as there was opposition from police originally with the introduction of community needle and syringe programs.
I'm optimistic that slowly the prison officers will come around but at the moment it's a political bargaining chip and the unions are exploiting it for all they can.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: John Ryan is not alone in his critique.
The former ACT chief minister Jon Stanhope today attacked the unions' opposition.
JON STANHOPE: The union is saying, we don't care what safety measures you put in place. We don't care what the issue of principle is. Our answer is no, no, no! We're not interested in the pilot. We're not interested in discussing it. The answer is simply, no!
These right wing, reactionary, non consultative, non considerate views around this issue of major principle.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: But the CPSU's Nadine Flood says members have genuine concerns about legality, rehabilitation and occupational health and safety.
NADINE FLOOD: This public attack on the CPSU and its members is extraordinary, offensive and completely misguided.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: Jon Stanhope says surveys consistently show more than 70 per cent of Australians support introduction of prison needle exchange programs. And he says the support includes some members of the union that also represents some prison officers.*
JON STANHOPE: I just happened to be at the Human Rights Commission the other day, where there were a group of members of CPSU and I said oh your members of the CPSU, the CPSU's speaking for you, do you agree with your union's position? And of course they said well no, they're horrified at the attitude and the position of their union.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: Mary Durkin was among the horrified union members. That is, until she handed in her membership spanning three decades today.
MARY DURKIN: There's already dirty needles there at the moment. That I would prefer to see a stance where the CPSU says let's sit down and talk about how we can address our concerns as well as look after the health of prisoners.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: Mary Durkin is the health services commissioner for the ACT Human Rights Commission.
MARY DURKIN: I'm hoping that the CPSU will realise that there's more people out there who have views on this situation than just the members at the jail.
ADRIENNE FRANCIS: A spokeswomen for the ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher says a decision over the proposed pilot is expected by the end of this year. The Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League's Annie Madden is optimistic.
ANNIE MADDEN: The punishment for prisoners is being in prison. People shouldn't be given further punishment on top of that by being put at risk of a blood borne virus that is entirely preventable if they have access to new injecting equipment.
MARK COLVIN: Annie Madden from the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League ending Adrienne Francis' report.
* EDITOR'S NOTE (October 12, 2011): The transcript has been edited for clarity. The language used in the original broadcast item suggested Mr Stanhope was reflecting the views of prison officer members of the CPSU. He was in fact referring to non-prison workers who are members of the CPSU.
The full story...
ACT considers prison needle exchange
Adrienne Francis reported this story on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 18:20:00
Related Links
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- Stanhope lashes CPSU over needle exchange
- ABC Canberra: Safety 'paramount' in any prison needle exchange (June, 2011)
- Link to Public Health Association media release, Sept 16
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