SYDNEY, June 6 (Reuters) - Australian prisoners in the tropical state of Queensland will be limited to three-minute showers and six toilet flushes a day under a plan to save water, local media reported on Wednesday.

Queensland prisoners had been restricted to four-minute showers, the same as the top level-five water restrictions for residents in the dry southeast of the state.

But prisons will have new technology installed to turn the water off after three minutes, said the state's Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence.

"After three minutes the water will automatically cut off. With the new technology they will only be allowed six flushes a day. That will be the new regime for prisons in Queensland," Spence told parliament, Australian Associated Press reported.

Queensland politician Rob Messenger told parliament while residents were watering their gardens with buckets and taking four-minute showers, prisoners were wasting water.

"Prisoners have unlimited time for showers and often turn their hot water taps on to create steam in their cells to keep warm on cold nights," he said.

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