New prison to be built at Lara to deal with booming jail population
HOMES could be compulsorily acquired to make way for a new prison to be built in Lara as the Government moves to deal with a booming jail population. Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says it is “certainly going to be needed”.
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THE State Government won’t rule out compulsorily acquiring homes to make way for a new prison to be built in Lara as it moves to deal with a booming jail population.
The new facility will have 700 to 900 beds, according to 3AW, but it is not yet know how much it will cost taxpayers and when building will begin.
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The Corrections Minister Gayle Tierney said the new jail would help keep Victoria safe.
She declined to say how many beds but said it was a significant number.
“This announcement today is part of our commitment to keep Victoria safe,” Ms Tierney said.
“Planning for growth in the prison system is what good governments do.”
Acting Commissioner Rod Wise said there were advantages to building the facility near the current jail.
He said it was “critical” to begin planning with current forecasts showing an extra 600 beds were needed every four years.
It will be a male maximum security facility and may hold remandees.
Land owners have been contacted and further details will be fully outlined in the 2018 budget.
Ms Tierney could not rule out compulsory acquisition if owners could not be convinced to sell.
The date of construction was also not revealed.
The move will create hundreds of new construction jobs and long-term prison positions.
It comes after the Herald Sun revealed a record jail population had surpassed 7200 in December and there was growing concern cells would reach capacity by 2019.
At the time the Victorian Coalition revealed it would build a new prison or increase beds at current jails to handle excess inmates, if elected in November.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said a range of harsher sentencing regimes he had put forward would increase pressure in cells initially before the changes would have a long-term deterrent effect.
“It is certainly going to be needed,” Mr Guy told radio this morning.
But he raised concerns that the Labor Government did not have the tough sentencing laws to match their proposed jail infrastructure.
It was also revealed a female guard at the youth justice precinct in Malmsbury was attacked with a musical instrument and taken to hospital overnight.
Her condition is not known but it is believed it is the second attack by the teen involved in recent months.
More to come ...