Prison protest an 'act of desperation' by inmates: activist

A leading activist for prisoner rights believes a 24-hour protest staged by two Queensland jail inmates was an act of desperation and has called into question the availability of an effective drug rehabilitation treatment.

Still from Channel Nine's Today program. Source: Nine Network

Two prisoners came down from the roof of Queensland's Woodford Correctional Centre on Wednesday some 24 hours after scaling it to stage a protest demanding access to a drug rehab program.

Their demand, which was written on a white sheet, was for access to Suboxone - a medication administered through a program used to treat addiction to opiate painkillers and street opiate drugs such as heroin.

Brett Collins, coordinator of prisoner rights group Action Justice, said the protest may have been the result of jail authorities not listening to inmates.

"What is clear is what we see, there was a level of desperation to get access to a program which is readily available to the general community," he told SBS.

“It’s a desperate activity to protest on a roof for 24 hours, it’s a big statement and it will cost them. This is a serious issue and should be seen as such.

“In the prison context is very important because you don’t really have the choice of going to more than one doctor."

He said Australian authorities needed to consider a uniform system to administer such programs inside all prisons.

“Some of these prisoners don’t have access to any support outside prisons, so if they have a chance to deal with their drug issues in prison, it would solve a lot of criminal behaviour," he said.

"There are plenty of benefits associated with dealing with these people in jail, even more so than they are when in the general community." 

The men also reportedly asked to speak to A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw.

Earlier, Ms Grimshaw said she only became aware of the protest when the story hit the news and, despite their demands, was not going to speak to the inmates.

"I have had no official approach from any of the authorities up there," Ms Grimshaw told Channel 9.

"They've got on a roof and wanted to make some noise and have pulled my name out of a hat because they figure it will help them make some noise."

A Queensland Corrective Services spokesperson told SBS the inmates had protested peacefully and caused no threat to the safety of staff or prisoners.

The incident will be referred to the Corrective Services Investigation Unit for investigation.

-With AAP