Dr WOODRUFF – Minister in response to a question we asked in 2020 about a bail hostel, you said you wouldn’t rule out any options in relation to bail reform and you pointed then to some upcoming bail reforms. You released the draft Bail Bill 2021, but you haven’t tabled that yet. That bill didn’t address the matter of a bail hostel. There has been no indication in your reform process that you are going to look at any reforms beyond legislation. Can you please tell me where the bail reform process is up to? Is it something that you are considering?
Ms ARCHER – I can’t in this output. Legislative reforms are in my Justice portfolio.
Dr WOODRUFF – Oh, I missed the boat.
Ms ARCHER – You did.
Dr WOODRUFF – Obviously homelessness and housing are a critical issue for people who – it’s a justice issue.
Ms ARCHER – Bail reform is in the other.
Dr WOODRUFF – Okay. I’ll go back to talking about housing – the Prisoner Rapid Rehousing and Beyond the Wire programs that you talked about before. Have they been evaluated? If so, what were the findings in the recommendations?
Ms ARCHER – We might take on that notice, but we can check. We don’t think they have. They might have been internally.
Dr WOODRUFF – Do you have any plans to do that?
Ms ARCHER – Not at this stage, no.
Dr WOODRUFF – You wouldn’t want to improve on the situation? Find ways to do that?
Ms ARCHER – Broadly, we are always looking at ways of improving, but I’m trying to answer your question specifically. Don’t take that to mean that we’re not looking at other options for improving the system.
