The PSA is celebrating its win to keep the New South Wales prison system in public hands

The Public Service Association is celebrating its win to keep the New South Wales prison system in public hands. “‘That a Government hell bent on privatizing everything has decided not to sell off the John Morony prison is an enormous win for public safety in NSW,” said PSA General Secretary, Stewart Little. The PSA has argued that privatization means a lack of transparency and creates breeding grounds for radicalization and fight clubs. ‘The NSW public prison system boasts the best officers in the world who, to their enormous credit, successfully manage a grossly overcrowded system, which houses 13,000 inmates in a situation designed to accommodate 10,000.’” Long-time PSA delegate Nicole Jess has been elected chair of the Prison Officers Vocational Branch (POVB), making her the first woman to head a prison officer union in Australasia.