MOUNT Gambier Prison is now the second largest correctional facility in the state following the completion of a $61.8m expansion at the Moorak facility.
While the mushrooming prison has fuelled community concerns, the state’s Correctional Services Minister Corey Wingard has labelled the project as a “jobs generator”.
The state’s only privately operated correctional facility will now house 653 low to medium security prisoners following the construction of a 160 bed residential style prisoner accommodation complex.
SA Country Fire Service personnel swept through the new section of the prison yesterday to undertake the last security and safety checks ahead of the first intake of prisoners.
The Border Watch was also given a tour of the expanded prison yesterday, including the five new residential cottages along with the education building and medical centre.
Mr Wingard – who visited the prison earlier this week – revealed there were no plans by the government to further expand the facility.
A cluster of expansions has been rolled out at the prison in recent years in a bid to alleviate over-crowding in the state’s prison system.
“There are no plans for more expansions,” Mr Wingard said.
“As we have said there has been $61.8m spent on this project – which is a big filler for the local community because of the jobs through the construction phase.”
He said the prison expansion triggered an economic boom for 18 construction, supply and service companies with more than half of these companies directly from the region.
“There has been a bonus for the local community with the jobs created – so it has been really great for local work, local business and job opportunities,” the minister said.
Mr Wingard downplayed concerns the jail expansion may be luring associates and the families of inmates to settle in Mount Gambier.
He said this had not been “proven to be the case”.
“In the correctional system, people move around a lot so nobody ever knows they will stay in one area,” Mr Wingard said.
“Because they tend to move around, families do not tend to move with them.
“I think the big factor has been the jobs created in the building phase and the post building phase and people working in the system.
“Going forward obviously there will be people employed through the prison and for the local community it has been a good initiative to create jobs in the area.”
In terms of where prisoners were paroled, he said that was a matter for the parole board.
“That is a matter for the board – that is at their discretion,” he said.
Regarding the impact on police resources, he said that issue had not been raised with him.
According to the state’s Department of Correctional Services, occupation will begin on an operational basis soon after the Metropolitan Fire Service has signed off on the completed area.
“The $61.8m project represents a significant investment in the region while also ensuring the Department for Correctional Services has the capacity to meet future bedspace demands,” a department spokesperson
said.
The expansion includes a new support and education building and an extension to the industries building, as well as a new visiting centre, medical centre and video conferencing suites.
A current analogue security system will also be replaced by a digital system.
The department declined to reveal the number of new jobs created at the facility, citing security reasons.
