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Canberra Today 11°/15° | Saturday, March 30, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Hanson wants dose probe

ACT Liberal Corrections spokesman Jeremy Hanson is calling for an investigation into the Alexander Machonochie Centre’s medication procedures following the revelation of a methadone overdose in the jail.

“In August, a prisoner was not properly supervised when taking methadone, and as a result, was able to stockpile the drug in a communal juice container,” Mr Hanson said.

“A second prisoner was then given a drink from this container after suffering an epileptic fit, and inadvertently overdosed on the methadone.

“Thankfully, the inmate received immediate medical care and survived, but how the issue occurred in the first place is very worrying.”

Mr Hanson said that this week he would be calling on the Government to undertake an investigation into administration of  medication, including methadone at the centre.

“I’m also very concerned that the inmate’s indigenous liaison officer wasn’t informed immediately,” he said.

“Because of this, I’ll be calling on ACT Labor to review the Review the Royal Commission in to Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, and the application of the recommendations to all correctional facilities in the ACT.

“It’s unacceptable for this tragic situation to have happened at all, let alone in the part of the jail that deals with the ACT’s most vulnerable prisoners.

“It makes a mockery of ACT’s Labor’s claim that they could effectively manage a needle exchange at the prison.”

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