Following the very successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sydney, it is most appropriate that the APCCA should be held in Sydney in the Year 2000.

I am advised that the number of countries registering at this year's conference is a record (23) and I am especially pleased to welcome Tuvalu, which is attending for the first time.

I trust that all delegates and observers will find both the official program and the social activities which we have arranged for you this year in Sydney to be interesting and enjoyable.

I am delighted to hear that more than 20 countries are represented making this conference with over 100 delegates, the largest held to date. I also understand that all states and territories of Australia are represented and this is the first time that this has occurred.

AusAid has provided assistance to enable a number of delegates to attend this conference and I applaud this gesture. Of course, you are visiting Sydney at the end of our Olympic and Paralympic celebrations. I am sure the extensive media coverage of the city at its best during the Games would have whet your appetite for your visit. I can see from the program that you will be visiting some of Sydney's attractions including Taronga Park Zoo which comes within my portfolio as Minister for the Environment. I am sure you will be impressed with the many unique Australian animal species and the creative way they are exhibited.

This is not the first time that your conference has been held in Sydney. In 1988, another big year for Australia - the Bicentennial of European settlement - the convention met in both Sydney and Melbourne. After that, it was Adelaide in 1992 and Darwin two years later.

As you would expect over more than a decade, a great deal has happened since your last visit as a group to Sydney. The NSW Department of Corrective Services has been engaged in an extensive long-term restructure of the State's prison system during this time.

It is no exaggeration to say I am proud of many of the reforms we have introduced and the improvements we have made, particularly in terms of diverting minor offenders from full-time custody and developing innovative programs and safer and more humane conditions for staff, inmates and visitors.

A number of the older gaols have been closed or redeveloped and replaced with modern facilities of a far higher standard. I understand that you will be visiting several correctional centres, each of which are examples of different types of correctional centres.

Long Bay Correctional Complex has undergone substantial changes. In 1988, this complex which is in Sydney's eastern suburbs, was the centre of the State's correctional activities. Today, Long Bay is predominantly a therapeutic correctional complex which offers specialised programs including an intensive sex offender program.

Neither is Long Bay the major remand centre any more. The new Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre opened at Silverwater, 15km from the city centre, in 1997. This 900-bed is the largest correctional facility in Australasia and you will see this centre on Thursday.

When you visit Berrima, you will see one of our oldest jails. It is located in the main street of a small historic town outside of Sydney and is an interesting example of a jail working with its local community.

During your visit to Emu Plains women's prison, I hope you take the opportunity to see the recently established residential units and Jacaranda cottages. The introduction of the Mothers and Children's program at Emu Plains women's prison in 1996 was a major initiative. The program is a humane recognition of the fact that children should not be punished for their parents' crimes. Pre-school aged children can live with their mothers at the Jacaranda Cottages and school-aged children can spend holidays and weekends. This program helps to keep families together and is a valuable incentive in the women's rehabilitation.

Perhaps our most innovative reforms have been in the far west of the State catering for indigenous offenders. The area of indigenous offenders presents unique challenges for any correctional system. Although you will not be visiting these facilities I would like to highlight the important work that has been done in this area.

In response to the unique needs of this group of inmates, we have developed a range of dedicated facilities and programs which aim to divert young Aboriginal offenders from the full-time prison system and at the same time help them reconnect with their indigenous culture and heritage.

In the far west of New South Wales, "Warakirri", at Ivanhoe was opened in September last year. This work camp has brought new life to a small, struggling isolated town. The former State Rail village has been transformed into a minimum security centre for 50 inmates who work in local national parks and on community projects. This centre will give inmates from the far west, particularly those of Aboriginal descent, the opportunity to develop new skills.

Another example is the Second Chance centre, "Yetta Dhinnakaal" which operates on a 10,000 hectare property near Brewarrina. This centre primarily caters for Aboriginal inmates and provides an opportunity to learn rural work skills which better equips inmates for their release to the community

One of the most far-reaching changes in the custodial system has been the implementation of case management for every offender in the system. This is a participatory, cooperative process in which staff and inmate jointly set realistic and achievable goals for the inmate to meet throughout his or her period in custody. In this way the inmate is encouraged to address and change their offending behaviour. I should say our prison officers have taken on the extra responsibility of case management with the dedicated professionalism we have come to expect of them.

I would also like to mention the Department does not just provide correctional centres. The Department also offers an array of sentencing alternatives to divert offenders from full time custody. It is widely accepted that imprisonment is to be used as a sentencing option of last resort. The Department, through the Probation and Parole Service, plays a vital role in providing programs in the community that are available to the Courts.

I have outlined just some of the changes introduced in NSW but I'm sure that each of you would be able to detail a similarly lengthy list of developments in your own systems over this time. I am sure that you will be exchanging this information over the coming few days as you set new directions and challenges for the future.

I welcome all of the delegates and observers to Sydney.