Legal Aid WA has stopped its lawyers visiting Perth’s privately-run Melaleuca women’s prison less than five months after it was opened because of safety fears.

Legal Aid’s issues relate to what it sees as poor standards and discipline at Melaleuca.

It claims its lawyers were not being given duress alarms and that they are put in dangerous situations, with other inmates standing around and guards not present during meetings with prisoners. They’ve also had trouble contacting clients to prepare legal defences.

AAP has been told of serious problems with violence and drugs at the prison but Legal Aid is yet to comment.

Sodexo, the French company contracted to operate the 254-bed Melaleuca Women’s Remand and Reintegration Facility, denies the claims of poor management and “unsubstantiated allegations in relation to security practices”.

Corrective Services Minister Fran Logan, Criminal Lawyers Association of WA president Genevieve Cleary and Community and Public Sector Union WA secretary Toni Walkington came out to strongly criticise Sodexo and the way it is running the prison.

Mr Logan said Sodexo had already been fined $25,000 three times for contract breaches, he had put the company “on notice” and ordered that it’s generous contract be examined.

He admits he is ideologically opposed to private prisons and the Labor government will work to bring them back in-house where financially possible.

The state-run Banksia Hill prison for juveniles has also been beset by problems with repeated riots and injuries, the latest occurring last week when staff locked themselves in rooms for safety, fires were lit and three teenagers injured.

Ms Walkington said Melaleuca was being poorly run, with a litany of failures putting lawyers, visitors, staff providing rehabilitation services and prisoners at risk.

Last week Magistrate Jan Whitbread blasted Melaleuca’s operators as “extremely disorganised” in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court when video links with the court couldn’t be established.

Sodexo said in a statement that it met with Legal Aid on Thursday and said it would continue to work with stakeholders to assess performance and implement any improvements at Melaleuca.

“The meeting was extremely positive and it is anticipated that the visits will resume shortly,” it said.

“Sodexo complies with the regulations as stipulated in the contract.”
-AAP