Iemma orders Milat stripped of luxuries
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Backpacker murderer Ivan Milat has had a television and a sandwich maker removed from his cell following a public outcry over rewards given to him in prison.
The 61-year-old former road worker, jailed for life in 1996 for the murder of seven backpackers, was given the items because he was no longer deemed a suicide or escape risk.But NSW Premier Morris Iemma ordered Milat's privileges be suspended, and has directed an urgent review of the Department of Corrective Services' reward system.
The premier intervened after victims' support groups demanded luxury items be removed from Milat's cell in Goulburn's Supermax prison, where he is serving his sentence for the murders, committed between 1989 and 1992.
"It is an insult to the families of his victims," said Martha Jabour, executive director of the Homicide Victims Support Group.
Ian Clarke, father of one of the victims, Caroline Clarke, said Milat didn't deserve any privileges.
"He didn't give any privileges to any of our children. As far as I'm concerned, he can rot," Mr Clarke told The Daily Telegraph.
"I wouldn't agree to him being given anything. It's a joke."
However, another support group for murder victims, called Enough is Enough, said the issue had been blown out of proportion and that a television may even help control Milat.
"Those people in jail, if we treat them like animals, they're going to act like animals," spokesman Ken Marslew said.
"I would also like to think that, as a society, there has to be a compassionate bone in there. We're not like him, so why act like him?"
NSW opposition justice spokesman Andrew Humpherson said Milat should continue to receive basic items for good behaviour, but not be rewarded with luxury items.
"Incentives for prisoners for good behaviour should be continuing access to the basics, not luxury items such as electric sandwich makers and open slather access to violent television programs," Mr Humpherson said.
Mr Iemma said Milat's victims were owed a review of the system.
"As far as the government is concerned we have sought firstly a suspension, then a review and it's entirely appropriate," Mr Iemma told reporters.
"One thing they are not doing is lying under a palm tree out there at the Supermax, it is high security."
But Mr Iemma said Milat's privileges could be reinstated if the review found it was the most effective way to manage high-security prisoners.
Mr Marslew said the government should focus more on supporting victims of Milat's crimes.
"No matter what we do to him or don't do to him, it's not going to bring our loved ones back," he said.
"If we really want to get concerned, (then we should think about) what are we doing to make sure this sort of thing never happens again."
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