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April 26th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda
Ron Woodham … ”J Edgar of NSW”. Photo: Andrew Meares
HE HAS been repeatedly investigated, received death threats and was sued by inmates, but somehow ”Teflon” Ron Woodham not just survived but rose through the ranks to the top of Corrective Services.
The first prison officer to become commissioner (in 2002), Mr Woodham has been known for his tough approach to prisoners and the outside world alike.
In his 47 years with the department – which in the 1970s and ’80s was known for its brutal approach to prisoners, riots and escapes – he formed its first emergency response units, ran internal investigations, formed a witness protection program and later oversaw the privatisation of some prisons.
Investigations by the Independent Commission Against Corruption and other bodies of alleged corruption and cronyism and a promotion scandal in 2007 failed to make adverse findings.
For years he has micro-managed the system, offering ministers sufficient distance from the day-to-day affairs to prevent political scandals.
But the Justice Minister, Greg Smith, who oversees Corrective Services, refused to leave the running of the system to Mr Woodham – culminating in yesterday’s announcement that his contract would not be renewed and his job would be advertised tomorrow.
The department has recently been plagued by budget overruns, a growing number of escapes and problems at Grafton jail, where a traffic offender died despite asking for medical attention. The government is also reintroducing the position of inspector-general of prisons after concerns complaints were inadequately investigated.
Also known as the ”JEdgar (Hoover) of NSW”, some consider Mr Woodham’s power was based on the belief he knew things that could hurt some powerful people. He has been sick for about five years, from complications of diabetes, and is believed to have been in hospital recently.
One of his strongest supporters, broadcaster Ray Hadley, is understood to be working with him on a documentary about the prison system.
A recent report into the system has criticised its culture and centralised structure and proposed a spilling of all State Emergency Service positions – filled under Mr Woodham – and a replacement from within NSW is unlikely.
A government source told the Herald that Mr Smith had sounded out the Northern Territory Correctional Services executive director, Ken Middlebrook, for Mr Woodham’s job.
Mr Middlebrook, who has previously worked with Mr Woodham, said he spoke to Mr Smith when he was in opposition and then spoke to him informally when he was in government.
The Premier, Barry O’Farrell, told Fairfax Radio yesterday that Mr Woodham had ”served the state well” and said the government would look for ways that his experience could be used in the future.
The Opposition Leader, John Robertson, said Mr Woodham had reduced the number of escapes, introduced systems to track sex offenders and was committed to education, mental health and diversion programs.
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