Queensland’s refusal to give inmates condoms opens door to legal action, lawyers say

Queensland’s progress towards providing prisoners with condoms has stalled, while all other Australian states and territories have done so for at least a decade. Photograph: Reg Charity/Getty Images

Queensland’s continued opposition to providing condoms to prisoners – at least a decade after all other states began doing so – leaves the state at enhanced risk of legal action, lawyers and health experts say.

The World Health Organization has long recommended that condoms be provided to prisoners. But Prof Basil Donovan, the head of Kirby Institute’s sexual health program, says a lack of political will has left Queensland dragging its feet on the issue, to the detriment of the wider population.