Victoria's former top police officer will lead an oversight committee that will seek to address staff and training problems at Canberra's prison.
Christine Nixon, who was the Victoria police chief commissioner from 2001 to 2009, will head the committee to develop a "blueprint for change" at the Alexander Maconochie Centre and the court transport unit.
The committee was developed after a scathing review into Canberra's corrective services that found staff who transported prisoners were not adequately trained.
The review, by the ACT Inspector of Correctional Services Neil McAllister, also found that a vehicle used to transport prisoners had serious design flaws that could trap prisoners in the event of a crash or fire.
The committee will seek to address issues of staffing levels, training and rostering practices as a first priority.
Representatives from the prison, the Human Rights Commission, the public sector union and the official visitors program are among committee members. There will also be a delegate from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
ACT Corrections Minister Mick Gentleman said the move to appoint Ms Nixon was an important step towards improving outcomes for staff and prisoners.
"Ms Nixon's substantial experience in reform over her decorated career means she is well positioned to lead discussions around culture to drive solutions that support staff," he said.
"This appointment means the oversight committee will have their first meeting in the coming weeks to address urgent changes and improvements."
Ms Nixon, who also led the Victorian recovery effort after the Black Saturday bushfires, said she was approached by the territory government and asked if she would like to be considered for the role. She expressed her interest after she read the review.
"As chair of this oversight committee, I will take the lead role to ensure the representatives voices are heard and that support is available as we work towards building a culture of trust," Ms Nixon said.
Ms Nixon said she would start the review by tackling the workplace culture.
"I think you have to have an understanding of the culture of the organisation then look to see what are the demands on officers and what kind of skillset is needed to meet these demands," she said.
"They are the places you start - the culture itself, what's the work and what's the training."
The committee will meet virtually in the coming weeks, Ms Nixon is based in Victoria.
The committee is set to run for 12 months and will report to the minister on a quarterly basis.
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