To Australia’s National Prison Newspaper, About Time,
Hi,
My name is Bradley, an inmate of Ron Barwick Prison in Tasmania. I have written to you before about our living expenses and pays and canteen prices. Since then, we got a pay rise which was good. About time! But since then canteen prices have gone up so it sort of defeats the purpose of getting a pay rise…
I’m writing this in regards to our health in the prison. We want to know why we get treated differently in jail than on the outside. If we are prescribed it by our doctor, why can’t we have it – it’s our medication? I’m on the Opioid Replacement Therapy (ORT) program and on the outside (so before coming into custody) I was getting my medication every 21 days. Every three weeks you go in and get jabbed, so why don’t we get it in jail? Why is it any different? Why is it 28 days in jail? After getting my medication, coming up to my 3-week mark, a week before my jab (my medication), I feel down, feel shit. Why? Because I’m waiting an extra week. I’m not getting my medication when I should, like everyone else on the outside. I have put this forward to the Ombudsman and Health Complaints Commissioner with no reply. I got a big petition so those who are on the ORT program sign it as everyone on the ORT program are all feeling the same and all want it to change to every 21 days. I hope someone can make a change. To those who can, is this happening to any other prisons on the ORT program? How long do they have to wait? Are we getting the same healthcare in jail? NO. Something needs to be done. Thank you.
PS. and a big thank you to Australia’s National Prison Newspaper and everyone that has published something – onya!
To Australia’s National Prison Newspaper, About Time,
Hi,
My name is Bradley, an inmate of Ron Barwick Prison in Tasmania. I have written to you before about our living expenses and pays and canteen prices. Since then, we got a pay rise which was good. About time! But since then canteen prices have gone up so it sort of defeats the purpose of getting a pay rise…
I’m writing this in regards to our health in the prison. We want to know why we get treated differently in jail than on the outside. If we are prescribed it by our doctor, why can’t we have it – it’s our medication? I’m on the Opioid Replacement Therapy (ORT) program and on the outside (so before coming into custody) I was getting my medication every 21 days. Every three weeks you go in and get jabbed, so why don’t we get it in jail? Why is it any different? Why is it 28 days in jail? After getting my medication, coming up to my 3-week mark, a week before my jab (my medication), I feel down, feel shit. Why? Because I’m waiting an extra week. I’m not getting my medication when I should, like everyone else on the outside. I have put this forward to the Ombudsman and Health Complaints Commissioner with no reply. I got a big petition so those who are on the ORT program sign it as everyone on the ORT program are all feeling the same and all want it to change to every 21 days. I hope someone can make a change. To those who can, is this happening to any other prisons on the ORT program? How long do they have to wait? Are we getting the same healthcare in jail? NO. Something needs to be done. Thank you.
PS. and a big thank you to Australia’s National Prison Newspaper and everyone that has published something – onya!
Your contributions are the centerpiece of the paper. If you would like to contribute to our Letters section, please send your letters to the below postal address:
Or via email:
On 1 November 2025, QCS introduced a new pricing model: 20 cents per minute for all calls, mobile or local. A call that once cost 30 cents for 15 minutes now costs $3 – a ten-times increase.
I have been incarcerated for 22 months of a four-year sentence in Queensland jails. This poem is about my own situation.
Reading other prisoner’s stories inspired me to keep my head up and keep going now four months in, thank you all who share your stories and words of wisdom.
I moved units about a month ago and we feed some stray cats here. One even let me pat her last night! It's been over a year since I've patted an animal, so you can imagine how excited I was!
Help keep the momentum going. All donations will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.
All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. If you would like to pay directly into our bank account to avoid the processing fee, please contact donate@abouttime.org.au. ABN 67 667 331 106.
Help us get About Time off the ground. All donations are tax deductible and will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.
Your browser window currently does not have enough height, or is zoomed in too far to view our website content correctly. Once the window reaches the minimum required height or zoom percentage, the content will display automatically.
Alternatively, you can learn more via the links below.
Leave a Comment
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere. uis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.