The Catholic Church in Darwin has penned a letter to the Northern Territory government saying it's dealing with a chronic lack of access to prisons. It says clergy have been effectively locked out of Territory prisons for months because of staffing issues and it's warning other prison programs may also be affected.
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00:00Lessons from the book of Matthew about receiving a visit in prison at a service dedicated to those who are currently locked up.
00:10If you get locked in a box for 12 hours, you know, it will affect your mind and your soul.
00:15The Northern Territory Corrections Commissioner and Minister attended to hear concerns about the church being effectively locked out of prisons due to rolling lockdowns and chronic understaffing.
00:27It's been an issue permanently getting in there at the moment, not just from time to time, but they're not allowed in there at the moment and has been so for many, many months.
00:38I would say probably at least the last two years.
00:41The last time mass was held at an adult prison in the Territory, according to the church, was on Christmas Day.
00:48Apart from that, my team of volunteers hasn't been in since November for the adult men or the adult women.
00:57And this for me is quite distressing and heartbreaking, actually.
01:02A group of 20 church leaders led by Bishop Charles Gauci has written to the government calling for reliable access to be restored and the impacts being felt beyond the church.
01:14Our rehabilitation programs, our education and training programs, and also our employment.
01:19We know already that we've suspended the community service work parties as well.
01:23We are working along multiple fronts here. We know it's not ideal, but this is the situation left to us and the previous government, and we're working to fix it.
01:31The minister says a budget boost next month and new recruits will ease the pressure, while the church continues to pray for prisoners amid a growing crisis of faith in the Territory's jails.