Clark independent MHR Andrew Wilkie on Friday aired whistleblower claims that 50 officers were on sick leave and 150 others were on return-to-work programs.

He said this represented half of the prison officer workforce.

"As a result, some of the remaining officers have clocked up more than 800 hours of overtime this financial year," he said.

"This is a massive red flag and reveals a prison system under huge strain.

"You simply can't run a prison safely with half your workforce missing."

Corrections Minister Elise Archer said the claims were "manifestly wrong".

"He is scaremongering on an issue he clearly knows nothing about," she said.

"Less than half of the number claimed are currently on sick leave and there is less than one-fifth of his claimed number of staff on return-to-work."

Ms Archer said the recent state budget included $16.8 million in new funding for initiatives to ensure the state's prison service could cope with demand and recruit new correctional officers.

She said the government had undertaken action to reduce overtime costs.