Prisoner of Melbourne: Presentation by Mister SF

Master of Ceremonies Jane Clifton aka Margot Gaffney. Gaffney was the emcee for the Wentworth women’s concert at the men’s prison, Woodridge. She tried to go over the wall after a performance of The Midnight Special in Episode 322. At the 30th anniversary celebration, Clifton led guests in a sing-along of the show’s theme. When the lyrics of the admittedly difficult-to-sing-on-key theme escaped the collective ambition after the first chorus, Jeff and I were determined to go the distance. It became clear that we had brought not only tidings from a survivor of the world’s most famous prison, Alcatraz, but also the enthusiasm of first-timers under the Prisoner tent.

A good traveler never, ever comes empty handed.

Mister SF presents Val Lehman and the Prisoner cast with greetings from former Alcatraz inmate Darwin E. Coon, who congratulated the women on their 30th anniversary and thanked them for brave performances that contributed to greater compassion for prisoners.

Prisoner was significantly influenced by The Nagle Report, a review of corrective services by royal commission in New South Wales, headed by Justice John Hailes Flood Nagle and published in April, 1978. The commission was formed in the aftermath of riots in 1970 and 1974 at Bathurst prison, northwest of Sydney. Justice Nagle’s report shined a light on the violence and degradation suffered by prisoners in an insular and secretive system. (Included in the report was the news that the Department was oblivious to bent screws!) The Nagle Report made 252 recommendations for prison reform. While the report profoundly influenced prison administration in Australia, Nagle remained disappointed that politics had prevented the report from being implemented completely.

After the launch of Prisoner, a group of prison governors came to the station to voice their objections to the show’s stories of violence, illiteracy, homosexuality, rape, and suicide behind bars. The meeting resulted in all the governor’s finger-pointing at each other about which stories they knew had taken place in which facility, and they left the show alone.

Lehman speaks about lives touched by Prisoner.