- Management instability has been the biggest and most persistent issue at Wooroloo for many years.
- Custodial staff presented as a disaffected group with low morale. There were alarming levels of personal conflict and allegations of bullying between officers.
- Wooroloo’s communication plan has been failing as a result of the inconsistent delivery of messages and the frequent reversal of decisions.
- No structured program exists to provide staff in key leadership positions with the people skills to manage these challenges and deliver a high performance environment.
- A lack of a current, cohesive planning documents to articulate Wooroloo’s unique challenges, opportunities and direction was hindering performance.
- Wooroloo has become a higher security facility with the addition of a perimeter fence and additional security clearance requirements for prisoners entering the industries area.
- To improve transparency of prisoner assignment to different hierarchical accommodation placements, management had recently introduced a new local order setting out a consultative process for progressing and regressing prisoners.
- The canteen had a limited range of products and did not provide a supermarket style experience as other similar minimum security prisons do.
- The prison held many foreign national prisoners but the Department lacked policies to cater for their needs.
- The family days held at Wooroloo were positive, but there should be more.
- The prison has ceased some important strategies to progress substantive equality for Aboriginal prisoners.
- Health services were generally good but there are long waiting lists for dental care, and there were concerns about possible staffing cuts.
- Education and recreation services are delivered well but are limited by facilities and resources.
- Wooroloo has a mature transitional management system but high demand for the services has made it difficult for prisoners to access them.
- Although the prison ostensibly maintained full prisoner employment, there were large numbers of prisoners under-employed.
- The new Wheatbelt Work Camp at Dowerin is functioning well.