petition

A rally in Perth on March 22 by the Deaths in Custody Watch Committee protested the increasing moves for prison privatization and in particular the death of Aboriginal elder Mr Ward while he was in private prison transport. The rally called for these services to be returned to public operation where they are accountable to the public through parliament.

The secretary of Western Australia's prison officers union, John Welch, called on the government to tear up its contract with the private company responsible for prisoner transport.