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Corrections staff join the list of Australia Day Honours

Western Australia’s longest-serving superintendent of a women’s prison and her assistant superintendent have been honoured today for their efforts in trying to turn around the lives of female prisoners.

Janette Allen and Kymberley McKay are two of only 13 recipients nationwide who have been awarded the inaugural Australian Corrections Medal in today’s Australia Day Honours.

The pair has been recognised for leadership, innovation and commitment to supporting the rehabilitation and reintegration of women at Boronia Pre-Release Centre for Women and Bandyup Women’s Prison.

Ms Allen is the longest-serving superintendent at a Western Australian women’s prison.

She started her corrections career almost 30 years ago and was one of the first female prison officers to work at a male, maximum-security facility.

For the past 15 years she has been helping women at Boronia prepare for life after prison and was instrumental in the development of the first structured prisoner volunteer program in WA.

Ms Allen also established the Boronia Women’s Choir, which is the only prison choir in the State that regularly performs at community events.

Mr McKay, who is the substantive assistant superintendent at Boronia, joined corrective services in 2012 and worked at Bandyup Women’s Prison.

He was instrumental in getting the Perth Lynx women’s basketball team to regularly visit Bandyup to play basketball and interact with the prisoners.

Mr McKay had also worked with WA’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry to assist women secure employment on release, and organised motivational speakers from business and government agencies to speak to the prisoners on International Women’s Day.

The Australian Corrections Medal is awarded for distinguished service by an operational member of an Australian State or Territory correctional service for adults.