Astill Inquiry

Media release

Public hearings of the Special Commission of Inquiry into offending by former Corrections Officer Wayne Astill at Dillwynia Correctional Centre

The Special Commission of Inquiry into offending by former Corrections Officer Wayne Astill at Dillwynia Correctional Centre (Special Commission) will hold its first public sitting on Thursday, 28 September 2023, at 10am in Sydney.

Led by the Honourable Peter McClellan AM KC, the Special Commission will examine the circumstances surrounding Mr Astill’s offending.

At the first sitting, Senior Counsel Assisting the Special Commission, David Lloyd SC, will outline the scope of the Special Commission under the terms of reference and the evidence that is expected to be presented to the Special Commission throughout the course of the hearings.

After the opening, one Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) witness will give evidence. On Friday, 29 September 2023, two further CSNSW witnesses will give evidence.

The Special Commission will then have six weeks of sittings from Tuesday, 17 October 2023 to Friday, 24 November 2023. Over the course of the six weeks of sittings, the Special Commission will hear from further witnesses and receive evidence which relates to the terms of reference.

The opening of the Inquiry will be held at the Chief Secretary’s Building, Level 4, 121 Macquarie Street, Sydney (entry via Bridge Street). The opening will also be live streamed on the Hearings page of the Inquiry’s website.

Appeal for information

The Special Commission continues to appeal for any person to come forward who has information about what anyone might have known, or was told, about Wayne Astill’s offending, and what steps were taken in response to that knowledge, or the processes in place to address complaints made by inmates at Dillwynia Correctional Centre at that time.

You can contact the Inquiry anonymously or confidentially in the following ways:

  • by emailing Astill.Inquiry@justice.nsw.gov.au.
  • by calling a voicemail system on +61 2 8061 9302 and leaving a message.
  • by writing to the Special Inquiry at GPO Box 260, Sydney NSW 2001. 

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