6/2/09

Black ban called on private prison companies

Media Release

“Justice Action has notified the five multinational private prison companies tendering for Parklea Prison that it is calling for a black ban on all products manufactured in the prison if they are to be given control. They can forget about getting profit from slave labour” said JA spokesperson Brett Collins.

“The Australian offices of GEO, SERCO, GS4, SODEXO, and Management and Training Corporation have been faxed and emailed a letter warning them that regardless of the Report of the Legislative Council
Inquiry due this Friday, they will get total opposition from the community” said JA Coordinator Michael Poynder.

“Of the 453 submissions before the Inquiry, only eleven, including the multinationals and the failed Commissioner support privatisation. All the major organizations, and those within the prisons - the officers, teachers, nurses and prisoners agree that imprisoning citizens is a core government responsibility inappropriate for a profit centre. We want less crime and less imprisonment. The
Rees Government has lost its direction and authority” said Mr Collins.

“The companies’ lack of morality is clear. Not only is it a breach of ILO Convention 29 against slavery, recent reports show that the judiciary is undermined taking bribes to fill cells
. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/us/13judge.html?_r=2&ref=us. The leading company GEO ex Wackenhut, has just been fined $42.5 million for allowing and covering up an horrific and gruesome death of a man due for release” said Mr Poynder.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Prison_company_to_pay_425_million_in_beating_death.html

“These companies only understand the effect on their bottom lines as the students’ campaign in the US with Sodexho showed. They will limp back out of here with their tails between their legs. They were stopped at Cessnock and haven’t yet understood no” declared Mr Collins.http://www.oberlin.edu/stupub/ocreview/archives/2000.04.21/news/sodhexo.html http://www.geocities.com/bsplat/

comments: Brett Collins 0438 705003
Michael Poynder 0401 371077



JUSTICE ACTION
Trades Hall, Suite 204, 4 Goulburn St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
PO Box 386, Broadway NSW 2007 Australia

T 612 9283 0123 | F 612 9283 0112
E ja@justiceaction.org.au
http://www.justiceaction.org.au

No comments: