We knew nothing! cry Stoner and Gulaptis

The Sergeant Schultz defence has been given an airing by NSW Nationals this week as they seek to hide from their decision to close Grafton Gaol and leave only a small 60-bed remand centre in its place.

This was NSW Deputy Premier and NSW Nationals Leader Andrew Stoner and the Nationals Member for Clarence Chris Would I lie To You? Gulpatis on the subject………

The Daily Examiner in Grafton

5 July 2012:

Chris Gulaptis: “I didn’t know about the closure of the gaol as it was happening….I was not involved in the process. I was not consulted about it”

14 July 2012:

NSW Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner has said in a radio interview he knew nothing about the full extent of the Grafton Jail closure even though it had been in the planning since October last year.

However, it is not ignorance concerning the closure but convenient amnesia which both Stoner and Gulaptis are displaying. As this timeline indicates……

Country Labor November 2011

Leaked documents have confirmed Grafton Gaol heads the list of prisons the NSW Government has been advised to privatise – which would threaten dozens of local jobs and the local economy, Country Labor candidate for Clarence Peter Ellem said today.

NSW Attorney General Greg Hunt

8 November 2011:

Earlier this year the Government commissioned KPMG to conduct an independent review of Corrective Services NSW taking into account historical expenditure and providing funding models. In response, Corrective Services NSW provided advice on factors impacting those expenditures and models, which were further considered by KPMG and included in its review. In order to achieve the efficiency measures that the Government requires, a number of staff positions will be deleted across the whole of Corrective Services—senior management, commissioned officers, correctional officers, industries, offender services and programs, enterprise assets, clerical, administrative and corporate services. Every area of Corrective Services NSW is contributing, including its head office…..The positions at Grafton are representative of positions being deleted at every correctional centre.

14 March 2012:

Today I announce that an independent review into Corrective Services NSW has been finalised, which will ultimately recommend a new organisational structure. Knowledge Consulting, headed by Keith Hamburger, who is a former Queensland Corrective Services Commissioner, conducted the comprehensive review. Its aim was to identify a cost-effective business model for Corrective Services NSW that delivers effective and efficient corrective services in New South Wales while ensuring that the Government's strategic policy objectives, such as the reduction of reoffending, are progressed and realised.

The Daily Examiner in Grafton

27 June 2012:

He said it was part of the State Government's cost cutting drive and the jail's age was also a consideration.

"There are a number of other factors that are just as significant," Mr Gulaptis said.

The MP said the restructure would involve job losses, but he said he was working with the Minister to ensure these were kept to a minimum.

28 June 2012:

Responding to the rumour, Mr Gulaptis said he had been working with Attorney-General Greg Smith on a restructure of the jail that would entail job losses, but he and the Attorney-General would not say how many positions would go.

Didn't know? Don't think so!