24540 (2026). Dr Tracey McLellan to the Minister of Corrections

24540 (2026). Dr Tracey McLellan to the Minister of Corrections: What rehabilitation, reintegration, education, vocational training, mental health, alcohol and other drug, therapeutic, or contracted community-based services or initiatives, if any, were considered for reduction, discontinuation, delay, scaling back, reprioritisation, or non-renewal during Budget 2026 savings discussions but ultimately retained?

Hon Mark Mitchell: Corrections has always strived to be a fiscally responsible department, reflecting the needs and priorities of the government of the day. I am advised that Corrections applies a rigorous internal budgeting process with a strong focus on fiscal sustainability. All spending is carefully reviewed to identify where efficiencies can be made to ensure funding is directed to the most critical areas. This continues throughout the year as part of their normal contract management, optimisation and cost management work. As you will be aware, Corrections’ component of the Justice sector savings initiative was $108.6 million per annum from 2024/25 onwards. Additional efficiency savings of $10.8 million for 2025/26 increasing to $12.8 million per annum for 2026/27 onwards were identified as part of Budget 2025. A large portion of the savings to date has come from reducing back-office expenditure, including a continued focus on reducing the use of contractors and consultants and enhancing the productivity and efficiency of our operating and electronic monitoring structures. Through the Budget 2024 and Budget 2025 savings processes, cost-reduction decisions were made on the basis that the delivery of frontline services were not diminished, and public safety was not compromised. These changes have helped mitigate the funding level required for cost pressures associated with a growing prison population. For example, through a comprehensive review of existing rehabilitation and reintegration services, Corrections has focused its resources on the services with the best evidence of effectiveness and efficiency. As a result of this work, Corrections did not continue a small number of contracts with third party providers. During Budget 2026, Corrections received funding for increased prisoner volumes (including staffing requirements to manage increased number of prisoners) and critical frontline remuneration pressures. However, all remaining unfunded cost pressures required internal reprioritisation to manage. Through the internal budgeting process, some of the notable options to reprioritise funding to offset the increased costs included scaling the planned uplift of rehabilitative services to remand prisoners where increases to service levels had not yet commenced, contract efficiencies relating to electronic monitoring and the management of stock, optimisation and savings from digital contracts through supplier/contract management, scaling the feasibility funding for new projects, and procurement savings from focused actions at prison sites. This is also my response to WPQs (2026) 24548, 24570, and 24578.