Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

ISSUE NO. 16
NOVEMBER 2025

News and Investigations

Each edition contains news articles and investigative pieces. These are topical stories that are usually about prisons and criminal justice.

We also summarise the latest criminal justice news around the country.

Latest
Letters From Home Lost to the Photocopier
By Denham Sadler

“I went from writing every day to basically not writing at all by the end, because it was so poorly photocopied or it was delayed,” Sarah told About Time.

ISSUE NO. 16
4 MIN READ
Ike Curtis
BREAKING
When Your Child is Charged
By Elizabeth

When your adult child does something that you don't agree with and you have no say in it – that's hard.

BREAKING
4 MIN READ
Benjamin Aitken
BREAKING
About Time Launches in Western Australia
By About Time

People in prison in Western Australia will soon have access to Australia’s national prison newspaper for the first time, with About Time launching in the state in October.

BREAKING
2 MIN READ
Ethan Cassidy
BREAKING
Reports of Unsafe Drinking Water in Prisons Across Australia
By Denham Sadler

While access to clean drinking water is a basic human right for people in prison, there have been a number of recent reports of dirty and metallic-tasting drinking water in prisons around the country, raising concerns over the health impact of consuming such water.

BREAKING
3 MIN READ
Willy Pleasance
A Year of Being ‘Tough on Crime’
By Stacey Stokes

Is the NT walking into a more criminalised and less safe future?

ISSUE NO. 16
2 MIN READ
Rico via Unsplash
Around the Country – October 2025
By About Time

Including the criminal age of responsibility rising to 12 in VIC, prison whistleblower protections proposed for TAS, the bar being lowered to prove prison misconduct in NSW and more.

ISSUE NO. 16
8 MIN READ
Ethan Cassidy
Rising Remand Numbers Drive Increase to Victoria’s Prison Population
By About Time

The Sentencing Advisory Council report tracks the prison population in Victoria from 2004 to 2024, finding that it grew by 62 per cent in this time, far more than the less than 40 per cent increase in the general population of the state.

ISSUE NO. 16
1 MIN READ
Willy Pleasance
The Importance of Radio in Prison
By Benjamin Aitken

A certain song at the right moment can anchor someone to memories, to hope or simply to themselves.

ISSUE NO. 16
3 MIN READ
Benjamin Aitken
Archive
ISSUE NO. 4
October 2024

Around the Country – September 2024

By About Time

The latest in criminal justice around the country, including Queensland Police Officers facing charges after a watchhouse incident, formerly incarcerated women calling for the end of strip searches in prisons and domestic violence law reforms in NSW.

1 – 3 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 4
October 2024

Investigation Into Serco’s Actions Following Incident at Clarence Correctional Centre

By About Time and The National Justice Project

Following a number of complaints from inmates, the NSW Ombudsman investigated Serco’s response to an assault at Clarence Correctional Centre.

2 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 4
October 2024

Young People and the Law: Latest Updates

By Meg Tait

The past month has seen several important developments in youth justice legislation and policy across the country.

8 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 4
October 2024

Queensland Becomes First State to Make Painkillers Available in Prison Buy-Ups

By Denham Sadler

Queensland has become the first state to allow people in prison to purchase basic painkillers through the canteen buy-up process, marking a significant step forward in the provision of healthcare in the prison system.

10 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 3
September 2024

The Case of Ron Brierley, Healthcare and Elderly Prisoners

By Sam Harris

Ron Brierley’s case is the tip of a very large iceberg when it comes to elderly people and healthcare in prison.

9 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 3
September 2024

Around the Country – August 2024

By About Time

The latest criminal news from around the country, including pressure on WA government to act on ‘systemic failures’ in youth detention following inquest into death in custody of Cleveland Dodd, Victoria backflipping on raising the age of criminal responsibility and all prisons in NSW now having access to ‘virtual’ medical care.

18 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 3
September 2024

'They Really Can’t Afford It’: The Prohibitive Cost of Making Phone Calls in Prison

By Denham Sadler

There are renewed hopes that phone calls in Australian prisons will soon be more affordable or completely free, with campaigns advocating for the change ramping up around the country.

12 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 2
August 2024

Port Phillip to Close as Australia Turns Away From Private Prisons

By Denham Sadler

Port Phillip Prison will close at the end of next year as part of a growing move away from privately run prisons in Australia.

8 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 1
July 2024

Welcome to Australia’s National Prison Newspaper

By About Time

Australia has never had a regular national prison newspaper. There have been at least 67 prison newsletters and magazines in Australian prison history, but none has been distributed regularly to every cell in the nation. We believe it’s about time that changed.

2 MIN READ
ISSUE NO. 2
August 2024

Around the Country – July 2024

By About Time

The latest criminal news from around the country, including a boost in investment to the criminal justice system, criticism around new footage of treatment of children in custody and an inquest into the death of Justin James Cordy.

20 MIN READ
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Help keep the momentum going. All donations will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.

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A place for news and education, expression and hope.

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.

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About Time is the national newspaper for Australian prisons and detention facilities

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