Final day of Public hearing 27 on conditions in detention in the criminal justice system

On Thursday 6 October 2022 the Disability Royal Commission will hold the final day of its twenty-seventh Public hearing which addresses conditions in detention in the criminal justice system for people with disability. Public hearing 27 commenced in Perth on 19 September 2022. Over the first four days of the hearing, the Royal Commission heard from lived experience witnesses, advocates and experts from Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland about conditions in prisons and youth detention centres for people with disability. The Royal Commission also heard evidence from Western Australia’s Inspector of Custodial Services, Mr Eamon Ryan.

The Royal Commission was unable to sit on the public holiday to commemorate the National Memorial Service for the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on 22 September 2022. As previously advised, the final day of the hearing was moved to 6 October 2022. The hearing will be live-streamed on the homepage of the Royal Commission website.

The Royal Commission will be hearing from Western Australian Government witnesses about policies, practices and responses that could prevent, and/or have failed to prevent, violence, abuse, neglect & exploitation of people with disability in detention in the criminal justice system.

Visit Public hearing 27 for the full witness list, transcripts of previous hearing days and further information.

Presiding over the hearing again today will be Chair of the Royal Commission, the Honourable Ronald Sackville AO KC, Commissioner Andrea Mason OAM, and Commissioner Alastair McEwin AM.