Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

Australia's National
Prison Newspaper

Welcome to About Time

About Time is the national newspaper for Australian prisons and detention facilities

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ISSUE NO. 15
October 2025
Collection Unearthed
Vinyl records shed light on life at Pentridge Prison
News and investigations
When prison is the norm
A cry for change to stop recidivism
Experiences
Intro to Greek myths
Gods, Titans and epic battles for power
Learn
This month in sport
An exciting roundup of key highlights
Play
Using Your Voice for Change
By Daniel Vansetten

Shane Cuthbert was once in prison – now he is in politics, fighting for rights of the criminalised.

ISSUE NO. 15
3 MIN READ
Ike Curtis
Parole: Best Practice Leads to Better Outcomes
By Russell

I feel where previous governments have failed is by not informing victims and the community about the role that parole serves to protect the community.

ISSUE NO. 15
2 MIN READ
Willy Pleasance
Unjust Justice
By Adrian

Each time I am released, there is a tightening of the orders or other orders that I have had to adhere to, whereby I feel less and less valued as a human being.

ISSUE NO. 15
2 MIN READ
Willy Pleasance
By Karie

Just thought I’d send in some words of comfort to those having a hard time.

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
By David

Included is a poem written by Michael and my honest response of encouragement. May it offer hope to anyone who challenges themselves to choose to heal toward being a quality human.

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
By Anonymous

Hatred and distrust of others will only increase the number of offenders in society. And that will produce terrible outcomes for all involved.

ISSUE NO. 15
2 MIN READ
By Jake

There is no way to accurately make judgement on someone for what they have done or are doing at times in their lives.

ISSUE NO. 15
3 MIN READ
By Jamie

I think lived experience support services are an important reintegration tool, as well as an important support for those who are still inside, knowing that there are positive experiences and paths for us post release.

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
By Anonymous

You can compare it to a raging river that drags you along its muddy banks as it flows.

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
By King

With all that constantly on my mind, I can’t help but wonder what can be done to help the mental health of our fellow inmates around Australia. So I’ve come up with an idea!

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
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Parole Undermined
By Daniel Vansetten

Ideally, parole should enhance rehabilitation and reintegration. In the recent decade, however, rules restricting the granting of parole and a lack of housing options undermine these intended benefits.

ISSUE NO. 15
3 MIN READ
About Time
Wrongful Convictions May Be Happening Undetected
By Denham Sadler

Kathleen Folbigg walked free from a prison in New South Wales in 2023 after serving 20 years in jail following a wrongful conviction.

ISSUE NO. 15
3 MIN READ
Willy Pleasance
About Time Launches in Western Australia
By About Time

People in prison in Western Australia will soon have access to Australia’s national prison newspaper for the first time, with About Time launching in the state in October.

BREAKING
2 MIN READ
Ethan Cassidy
Around the Country – September 2025
By About Time

Including overcrowding impacting service delivery in youth prisons in the ACT, prison officers going on strike in the NT, a second set of bail reforms passing in VIC and more.

ISSUE NO. 15
6 MIN READ
Ethan Cassidy
Mental Health Services in Prison Successfully Billed to Medicare
By Damien Linnane

Earlier this year, in what may be an Australian first, over-the-phone mental health appointments from prison were arranged and bulk-billed under Medicare.

ISSUE NO. 15
2 MIN READ
Willy Pleasance
Pentridge Prison’s Hidden Music History Unearthed
By Allison Harding

Did you know the bluestone walls of Pentridge Prison once reverberated with the sounds of reggae, punk, pop and country?

ISSUE NO. 15
3 MIN READ
Image supplied by Footscray Records
Reports of Unsafe Drinking Water in Prisons Across Australia
By Denham Sadler

While access to clean drinking water is a basic human right for people in prison, there have been a number of recent reports of dirty and metallic-tasting drinking water in prisons around the country, raising concerns over the health impact of consuming such water.

BREAKING
3 MIN READ
Willy Pleasance
What are Drug Courts?
By Stacey Stokes

Drug Courts are specialist courts that can provide an alternative to imprisonment for those who have offended due to drug dependency.

ISSUE NO. 15
4 MIN READ
Entrance to Drug Court at Dandenong

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Supporting Those I Left Behind in Prison
By Tahlia Isaac

I drive through the gate and see women in blue. They’re going about their morning, just like everyone else in the world – except they’re in prison.

ISSUE NO. 15
4 MIN READ
About Time
When Prison Feels More Like Home: A Cry for Change From Inside the System
By F.T.S.

I am raising this issue in the hope that sharing my story will spark change in the future.

ISSUE NO. 15
4 MIN READ
“Inside Out Outside In” by Megan, available to purchase from Boom Gate Gallery

Pitch Your Idea!

Do you have a story you want to share, or an issue you want to investigate?
About Time is always looking for more stories and contributions from people outside prison.

Pitch it here!

Gods, Battles and Hidden Messages: An Intro to Greek Mythology
By About Time

Greek mythology is a collection of stories about gods, heroes, monsters, and the beliefs of Ancient Greece.

ISSUE NO. 15
4 MIN READ
Ethan Cassidy
What to Do: Mandatory Visa Cancellation Letters
By RACS (Refugee Advice and Casework Service)

You got this letter to say that your visa has been cancelled due to your offending. This means you no longer hold a visa.

ISSUE NO. 15
4 MIN READ
Ethan Cassidy
Legal Q&A
Question from someone imprisoned in VIC

There are lots of reasons why people may get lighter or heavier sentences than someone else who has committed the same crime.

ISSUE NO. 15
2 MIN READ
Ethan Cassidy

Legal Q&A

Do you have a general legal query that you want answered?
Is  there an area of law that you think people inside should know more about? Submit your question in the provided form, and we might publish an answer in the paper.

Submit Your Question

Sticking to the Road With Simon Fenech
An interview with About Time

Simon Fenech is the General Manager/Director at social enterprise Fruit2Work in Victoria. His transformation from a drug addict, buried deep in Australia’s criminal underworld, to an inspirational figure, intent on changing the lives of others, is remarkable.

ISSUE NO. 15
5 MIN READ
Simon Fenech, Fruit2Work
Ask the Doctor: Diabetes
By Harley Stiebel

Today, inspired by a question from Jon in Victoria, we are talking about diabetes.

ISSUE NO. 15
4 MIN READ
A Warrior Sequence
By Prison Phoenix Trust

These are challenging postures that stretch and strengthen the whole body and challenge the mind. As you breathe in each posture, notice how you feel.

ISSUE NO. 15
2 MIN READ

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Mob
Storytelling Through Painting
By Michael

The painting’s story is: we hunt the food that lives on this country as our ancestors did in the past and give thanks to the food and return what we can’t take, and the Spirit goes back to the land.

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
Land Back
By Paul

Our land being invaded, our women and children being taken, Rabbit-Proof Fence no escaping.

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
“Goanna Dreaming” by Leslie, acrylic on canvas, available for purchase at Boom Gate Gallery
A True Hero
By Brothers from a prison in VIC

This is the story about a true hero, Mr Lawrence Murray, and I am honoured to be able to write this story for you to read.

ISSUE NO. 15
2 MIN READ
Shubz Yorta Yorta/Wemba Wemba people Moving Forward, 2024
Australia’s First Picture Book About Parents in Prison
By Jacqueline Dinan

A new children’s book addresses the incarceration of parents. It’s titled My Dad’s Gone Away and was written by Andrew Krakouer and Jacqueline Dinan.

ISSUE NO. 15
2 MIN READ
Artists With Conviction Celebrates 15 Years!
By Sara

Prison is a noisy place, yet at Risdon Prison, in Tasmania – nestled near bushland and close to the Risdon Brook Dam – the sounds of nature still break through. Despite the din, the calls of native birds are unmistakable.

ISSUE NO. 15
2 MIN READ
Jail Birds by Peter
Sam Kerr
By Henry

The big idea behind this painting is to display a very strong, tough Australian sportswoman. Through her athleticism she has helped to inspire a huge number of young Australian girls to take up soccer as their favourite game.

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
Sam Kerr by Henry
By Matthew

As I come back to jail, I walk through that familiar door, I promised my mum and kids, I wouldn’t break the law.

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
By Leslie

Facing the darkness, the pain and cold travelling through the body, the soul taking me back to when I played alone when hell exists, the place my home I spend years, months, days wearing the mask trying to pretend there is no fear or pain.

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
By Jeff

An ode to our last 750-gram powdered milk, taken from our treasured weekly Buy-Up Sheet.

ISSUE NO. 15
1 MIN READ
By Wormy

Butterflies, can be the colour of your eyes. They start life as tiny eggs, finally having wings and six legs.

ISSUE NO. 15
2 MIN READ
Play
This Month in Sport!
By Goal Mouth

A collection of recent events in the world or sport!

ISSUE NO. 15
3 MIN READ
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, source St Kilda Football Club
Crossword

Can you find all the words from the clues?

Rolling Stone Card Game

Rolling Stone is a game for four players. You’ll need a 32-card deck (remove 2s through to 6s). Aces are high and 7s are low. The aim of Rolling Stone is to be the first player to discard all their cards.

Bad Jokes (by Dougie)

A big thank you to Dougie, who writes from a Victorian prison, for sharing his jokes with us!

Word Master

Find the nine-letter word in the grid. Then see how many other words you can find of three or more letters. You can only use each letter once and every word must contain the centre letter.

Strange Animal Quiz

Test your general animal knowledge on our monthly quiz!

Alejandro Contreras via Unsplash
Caption This…

Submit a caption to this photo, and we will print the three finalists (including the winner) in the next edition.

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A place for news and education, expression and hope

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A place for news and education, expression and hope.

Help us get About Time off the ground. All donations are tax deductible and will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.

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