Correction Minister Gerard Maley confirms extra prison beds are en route to Darwin

As the Finocchiaro Government grapples with overcrowded prisons and watch houses, the Country Liberal Party is planting an extra 48 beds at a Darwin facility, with Corrections Minister Gerard Maley declaring the government’s plan to keep Territorians safe “is working”.

Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley, Corrections Minister Gerard Maley, Attorney General Marie Clare Boothby and Fong Lim MLA Tanzil Rahman at Berrimah Corrections Centre.

As the Finocchiaro Government grapples with overcrowded prisons and watch-houses, the Country Liberal Party is planting an extra 48 beds at a Darwin facility, with Corrections Minister Gerard Maley declaring the government’s plan to keep Territorians safe “is working”.

On Wednesday, Mr Maley was joined by Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley, Attorney-General Marie Clare Boothby and Fong Lim MLA Tanzil Rahman at the Berrimah Corrections Centre to announce the latest update on the CLP’s ‘Infrastructure Master Plan’, aimed at tackling rising prisoner numbers.

With more than 400 additional prisoners arrested since the August election, Mr Maley said Berrimah Correction Centre would receive 48 beds “in the coming days”, bringing its total bed count to more than 160 beds since opening in December.

“(This) goes to show that our plan to keep community safe is working, we know that the master plan is working,” he said.

“We’re opening up more beds than anticipated because we know how to keep the community safe.”

Mr Maley says more space will be made at the Berrimah Correction Centre amid rising prisoner numbers. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

Asked how the government intended to accommodate the hundreds of remaining bodies piled up in prison, Mr Maley said authorities were in the midst of “making space for them”.

“Moving forward, we’re going to have space here (at Berrimah), we’re going to build up our work camps – it’s all part of our master plan moving forward to keep prisoners safe and the staff safe and more importantly the community safe.”

With watch-houses currently jammed with prisoners, including Palmerston watch-house which is holding about 130 prisoners, Mr Varley said his staff were working closely with police to maintain order.

“It’s far more than I’d like and less than ideal – I get that – but at the end of the day I don’t get in the way of police doing their job and they don’t get in the way of ours,” he said.

“As far as I’m concerned, the (Palmerston) watch-house is operational.”

United Workers Union NT secretary Erina Early says holding prisoners in watch houses long term inherits “greater risk”. Picture: Zizi Averill.

NT United Workers Union secretary Erina Early revealed the union had been working closely with Corrections in obtaining the 48 extra beds, but also expressed concern over the mounting prisoner numbers.

“The Palmerston watch-house is only designed for short term stay – keeping prisoners long term is a greater risk for officers and prisoner safety.”

Ms Early said officers continued to be “very anxious” about their safety.

“You cannot expect to lock away large number of prisoners in a tiny cell without any consequences to the workers who are directly responsible for them as a result due to the overcrowding,” she said.

“Our correctional officers want the Minister and Chief Minister to (tell) them how the prison system can maintain increased prisoner numbers without the appropriate resources and expect officers to leave for their shifts each day, worried that this will be the last day they see their loved ones.”

Originally published as Correction Minister Gerard Maley confirms extra prison beds are en route to Darwin