$30m in riot damage at Darwin Correctional Centre still not fixed after a year

After a riot tore through parts of the Darwin Correctional Centre in May 2020, there’s still no date of when $30m in damage to a number of buildings will be repaired.

The Darwin Correctional Centre, where the riot took place.

DAMAGE caused by a riot at the Darwin Correctional Facility in May 2020 still hasn’t been fixed more than a year later.

In NT Estimates on Wednesday, acting Corrections Commissioner David Thompson said the repair bill was expected to cost $30m.

“We’re waiting for the main contract to be agreed and the main contractor to start the main refurbishment works,” Mr Thompson said.

Attorney-General Selena Uibo said the Covid-19 pandemic had delayed efforts to fix the damage, but some preliminary works had been completed.

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Ms Uibo said she couldn’t give a scheduled completion date for the repairs.

The riot, which broke out on May 14 2020, saw inmates allegedly set fire to several buildings.

Corrections staff only regained control of the situation after several hours.

Mr Thompson said buildings that were damaged were used for education and training and employment pathways and the department had to use “improvising arrangements”.

“We’re continuing to deliver education, we’re continuing to deliver offending behaviour programs,” he said.

“Having said that, it’s obviously not ideal.”

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