The Women's Correctional Services Advisory Committee (WCSAC) provides expert advice on delivering correctional services to women in custody.
Its members are key stakeholders with diverse backgrounds. They all have working knowledge and experience of the challenges faced by women offenders.
It is chaired by a nominee of the Minister for Corrections and reports to the Minister for Corrections.
Terms of reference
- Provide advice to the Minister for Corrections on strategic directions and service requirements for women in the Victorian corrections system.
- Have input into the development of policy, including research and evaluation, that leads to the development of best practice in the delivery of services and programs for women offenders and prisoners.
- Provide a forum to discuss ongoing issues related to women in the corrections system.
- Consider matters referred by the Minister for Corrections.
Committee members
- Ms Juliana Addison MP, Member for Wendouree (Chair)
- Dr Kathryn Daley, Senior Lecturer and Program Manager, Youth Work and Youth Studies, RMIT University
- Ms Nerita Waight, CEO, Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
- Ms Julie Kun, Director, Julie Kun Consulting
- Ms Melissa Hardham, CEO, Westjustice
- Ms Serina McDuff, Assistant Secretary, Gender-based Violence Reform, Australian Government Department of Education
- Ms Deb Tsorbaris, CEO, Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare
- Ms Rita Butera, CEO, Breastscreen Vic
- Ms Claire Seppings, Senior Program Officer, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
- Ms Michal Morris, CEO Georgina Martina Inc
History
WCSAC was established in 2003 by the then Minister for Corrections. Its precursor was the Victorian Women's Prisons Council, which ran from 1953 to 2002 and was established by Dame Phyllis Frost. It was a consultative council advocating for women’s prison reform. The council's volunteer members worked tirelessly to improve prison conditions for women.