Cornelia Rau - lost in a black hole

The extraordinary, final report of the Independent Investigation into Allegations of Prisoner Abuse, Neglect and Mistreatment at the Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre makes no mention of an immigration detainee housed with the mainstream prison population who appeared ill, agitated and distressed.

It does, however, mention another woman interviewed in the Crisis Support Unit (a purpose-built unit for long-term solitary confinement) who "appeared light-headed at the interview, speaking quickly and jumping from one topic to the next".

According to the report this woman "relayed her tragic story of previous sexual abuse and abusive relationships" and alleged that a correctional supervisor had sex with her in her cell.

When questioned by the investigators the correctional supervisor reportedly denied the allegation and commented that the woman was a "tragic case" who "should not be in prison but was in need of extreme psychiatric care".

"Accordingly the investigation team found that the evidence did not support the claim made by this prisoner," the report stated.

After 10 pages of this calibre of crack investigative work, the report concludes "there is no evidence which corroborates or supports complaints of systemic neglect, abuse and or mistreatment of prisoners" at BWCC, or of mental health abuses, or that the BWCC could in any way be compared to the Abu Grahib jail in Iraq, or that strip searching of women prisoners constitutes sexual assault. "The BWCC is managed and staffed by a well-qualified and trained team of professional correctional personnel," the report said.

The report also delivered a swift kick to Sisters Inside, accusing them of "soliciting complaints" and "playing prisoners off against each other".

Sisters Inside counsellors and support workers subsequently were banned from entering the prison, a ban that largely remains in place today.

Before the ban, Sisters Inside were visiting Cornelia Rau weekly and trying to get her case reviewed.

The only response they got from the department was that an immigration detainee was "not in Sisters Inside's brief" - so butt out. After the ban was imposed Rau wrote regularly to Sisters Inside. She missed their visits and still needed their help. They were powerless to do anything.

The Queensland Government, under Peter Beattie, seems content, like Vanstone, to leave the grubby business of prisons to the prison warders and the less interference from "advocates with agendas" the better.

He lets Corrective Services investigate themselves and even lets them write their own legislation. That is a recipe for black holes where no one can hear you scream.