Budget promises $689.5 million for new Lara prison, despite no land to build it on
THE state government is pushing ahead with plans for a maximum-security prison west of Melbourne, despite not having secured the land to built it on.
VIC News
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THE state government is pushing ahead with plans for a maximum-security prison in Lara, despite not having secured the land to built it on.
Next week’s Budget will include $689.5 million to build the 700-bed jail with construction schedule to start early next year.
But Corrections Minister Gayle Tierney confirmed today that the government was still in negotiations with landowners near Lara Prison Precinct.
It is understood those landowners could receive a significant windfall.
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When asked how many properties would need to be acquired, Ms Tierney said: “That is a hypothetical.”
“If you know that area, there aren’t all that many houses close by,” she said.
Ms Tierney said the $689.5 million did not include money to purchase land, with that allocation set aside separately.
She first announced the plans for the new prison — to be government-run — in January but would not confirm how many beds it would include or the construction timeline.
The 700-bed prison will be completed in 2022.
Victoria’s prison population has exploded to a record 7401 inmates, blowing out costs in the corrections system.
Almost 2600 of those inmates are on either on remand or awaiting sentencing.
Ms Tierney said the state’s prisons were running at just under 90 per cent capacity.
She said the government projected that capacity rate would remain stable with 470 new beds coming online over the next three years.
“Remand prisoners are there because of the extra police we have on the beat and people are being captured more quickly and easily,” she said.
“We have remand prisoners there because we have had reform and it is tougher to get bail.
“It does mean that we need to have the facilities and the beds to enable remandees to be held while their matters are being dealt with.”
Acting Corrections Commissioner Rod Wise said “other options” were also considered on an “ongoing basis” to deal with the growing prison population.
He said the new Lara prison could be used to house remandees.
“We now have remand prisoners at a number of different locations that have traditionally held sentenced prisoners only,” Mr Wise said.
“So at Hopkins Correctional Centre, Fulham Correctional Centre, Marngoneet Correctional Centre, at Barwon Prison we’ve got a large number of remand prisoners.
“And of course, Ravenhall will hold about 450 remand prisoners when it is at its capacity.”
Shadow Attorney-General John Pesutto said it was “concerning” that the government failed to secure the land for the prison.
“It’s quite pathetic to come out on a second occasion and only offer a little more information than they did in January,” he said.
“We also need to have a better idea from the government of the costings.
“We know that on all their infrastructure projects, there are always blow outs.”
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