Werribee South youth prison: More than 12 sites considered before land chosen
MORE than a dozen sites were considered for a new high-security youth justice centre before the Andrews Government settled on land in Werribee South.
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MORE than a dozen sites were considered for a new high-security youth justice centre before the Andrews Government settled on land in Werribee South.
The Herald Sun understands that land in Craigieburn and Dandenong was also assessed for a new detention facility, which will hold up to 224 of the state’s worst teen criminals.
Sources say that apart from ticking boxes about the Werribee site being government-owned and its proximity to health and education services, the political safety of the state seat — held by Treasurer Tim Pallas — also influenced the decision.
But Acting Families Minister Martin Foley said the site, at Hoppers Lane, was simply chosen “based on a detailed assessment made through a full business case”.
On Monday night, thousands of residents — some on tractors — protested against the government’s decision to build the new facility within 700 metres of residential land.
Premier Daniel Andrews said he understood community concerns but said the site was chosen after a “thorough process”.
“It is going to create thousands of jobs, not just in the construction phase but in an ongoing sense as well,” he said.
Wyndham City Council chief executive Kelly Grigsby said was trying to get more information from the government about its selection process and demanded “the public release of the business case”.
Mr Andrews was also forced to fend off questions about further youth justice chaos, after a staff member at Barwon Prison suffered a “nasty facial injury” from teen thugs running riot.
Police are investigating after up to 20 teenagers — sent to the prison after the Parkville youth detention centre was trashed — caused damage at the prison’s Grevillea unit.
The premier said recent changes made to the youth justice system — including better trained staff from Corrections Victoria — meant the incident was brought under control peacefully.
“Exactly the processes we put in place were deployed last night and they worked,” he said.
But opposition families spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the time had come for the premier to sack Families Minister Jenny Mikakos.
“The fact that 16 dangerous youth offenders can run riot around the most secure prison in the state and injure a staff member proves that the problem has little to do with infrastructure and everything to do with attitude and the Andrews Government’s soft-touch,” she said.
Corrections Commissioner Jan Shuard said a male officer remains in hospital with a “nasty facial injury”.
Charges are expected.