Thousands of prison officers across New South Wales have walked off the job in protest at a court decision that saw a violent Cessnock inmate avoid further jail time.
The Public Service Association (PSA) says its members are outraged after Cameron Welsh, 26, was handed a three-year community corrections order for bashing four guards at Cessnock Correctional Complex in February.
Welsh was convicted of four counts of assaulting law enforcement officers and inflicting actual bodily harm, as well as stalking and intimidating a guard. All four officers required hospital treatment, and two are unable to return to work.
PSA General Secretary Stewart Little described the decision as a “slap on the wrist.”
“These officers suffered horrific injuries, and basically, this inmate has received no additional jail term,” he said.
“We would have expected a custodial sentence given the severity of the assaults.”
Welsh, who remains held in Goulburn’s Supermax prison, has a history of violence, including a 2021 attack in Woodberry that saw two men bashed with a baseball bat.
Justice Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said he understood the anger among officers but urged calm while the matter is addressed by the Industrial Relations Commission.
“Correctional officers deserve to be safe on the job,” he said.
“While I understand staff are angry, a decision of the independent judiciary is not a basis for industrial action.”
The Minister confirmed prisons remain secure but are being operated with reduced staff numbers during the strike.
