Harsh new rules for Qld fine defaulters

By Brendan Greenhill BRISBANE — In a letter given to 4ZZZ, a group of low security prisoners have alleged that they receive worse treatment than murderers, armed robbers and child molesters. The fine defaulters at Westbrook Correctional Centre, near Toowoomba, are protesting over a new set of rules introduced by the Queensland Corrective Services Commission. The general manager of Westbrook, Greg Stephenson, released the new rules on September 20. They allow prisoners one six-minute phone call per week, one one-hour visit per fortnight and eight hours yard time. The prisoners are also disqualified from working in the prison. Other low classification prisoners are allowed two phone calls a week. Fine defaulters are usually jailed for not being able to pay damages or fines imposed because of drug charges, driving offences, evading fares, obstructing police, parking fines or other minor offences. While some prefer to do the time rather than pay fines, the irony is that they have no real reason to be in the prison system as they are, in most cases, not a threat to society. A spokesperson for Queensland Corrective Services minister, Paul Braddy said that "prison is the last resort for fine defaulters" and argued that the majority "have two other options; a community service order or paying the fine". The spokesperson said that the government was concerned at the number of people who "choose" to serve time in correctional facilities adding that "the minister would prefer that fine defaulters are not in our state's prisons. Unfortunately, when fine defalters are choose this option, they need to abide by the new rules."