Politician alleges NSW Corrections illegally snooped on her calls with prisoners

Exclusive: Greens MLC Sue Higginson tells parliament that Corrective Services knew things ‘which made it very clear they had monitored our conversation’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A New South Wales parliamentarian has alleged prison officers unlawfully listened to her calls with inmates and then threatened those who had sought her help. The Greens’ justice spokesperson, Sue Higginson, alleged that her phone calls were “routinely” monitored despite it being against the law for Corrective Services officers to listen to calls between parliamentarians and prisoners. Higginson said she had raised the issue multiple times with the corrections minister. In NSW prisons, phone calls made by inmates are generally recorded and monitored. But their conversations with parliamentarians and legal practitioners are privileged and exempt from surveillance. Higginson said inmates mostly contacted her office when they had concerns about another inmate’s welfare, or they were trying to access health services “but just aren’t getting them”. “Those sorts of calls are frightening for us and we expect people to be able