Werribee residents irate over Tim Pallas’ teen jail justification ‘insult’

IRATE Werribee residents say they feel insulted by Treasurer Tim Pallas’ attempts in state parliament to justify dumping a teen prison in their neighbourhood.

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IRATE Werribee residents say they feel insulted by Treasurer Tim Pallas’ attempts in state parliament to justify dumping a teen prison in their neighbourhood.

Mr Pallas was watched by dozens of his constituents who shook their heads as he responded to a series of parliamentary questions from Opposition Leader Matthew Guy.

Mr Guy asked why the Treasurer had not attended local meetings about the $288 million youth justice centre planned for Werribee South, and whether he was adequately representing the area given he lived in Williamstown.

Locals gathered to protest against the building of a youth justice centre in Werribee. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The Treasurer said the Coalition hadn’t given adequate funding to his seat during the last term of government, and that he was proud of the way he represented constituents.

“When a community seeks to be engaged I am more than willing to discuss these matters with my community,” he said.

He said 16 sites were assessed and Wyndham was the “preferred location”, and that it would have been a “provocative act” to attend community protests.

President of the Werribee ratepayers’ association, Dr Joe Garra, said the decision to dump the jail in Hoppers Lane was a waste of a prime site and little justification had been given by the Treasurer.

“Residents felt insulted by his answers,” Dr Garra said.

“Mr Pallas needs a dictionary, when he says consultation I think he means information.”

Treasurer Tim Pallas.

Earlier, the government asked for Question Time to be cancelled after the Essendon plane crash given Premier Daniel Andrews, Emergency Services Minister James Merlino, Police Minister Lisa Neville, Roads Minister Luke Donnellan and Industry Minister Wade Noonan were in the state control centre.

In the Legislative Council, Youth Affairs Minister Jenny Mikakos said the nominated prison location was not yet the “final site”.

“I made it very clear that we are open to alternative locations if the council can suggest an alternative location that meets all of our strict selection criteria,” she said.

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