Newly built multimillion dollar units housing more than 400 empty beds have been left to rot

The Allan government has launched legal action against the contractors responsible for overseeing two alleged faulty builds at two maximum security prisons, as hundreds of beds sit empty.

The Allan government has launched legal action against the contractors responsible for overseeing two allegedly faulty builds at two maximum security prisons, as hundreds of beds sit empty due to a major mould infestation.

As revealed by the Herald Sun on Thursday, two multimillion dollar units housing more than 400 empty beds have been left to rot at two of Victoria’s busiest prisons as the government fails to rectify serious building defects.

As the prison system prepares for a 20 per cent uptick in inmates following the rollout of tougher new bail laws, two new units at the Metropolitan Remand Centre (MRC) and Barwon Prison remain uninhabitable due to an infestation of toxic mould.

They include a 212-bed wing at MRC and a 243-bed unit at Barwon, delivered as part of the state’s $753.4m prison infill expansion.

Corrections Minister Enver Erogan revealed on Thursday that the Justice Department had launched legal action against the contractors.

“The department has sought legal advice and has lawyers engaged in relation to these matters,” he said.

“These are complex legal and commercial matters, so they do take time.”

“I don’t want to run a commentary that might compromise the state’s commercial position.”

Mr Erodgan could not guarantee that taxpayers won’t be forced to foot the bill to fix the defects.

The Melbourne Metropolitan Remand Centre in Ravenhall has a 212-bed wing that is uninhabitable. Picture: Ian Currie

It’s understood that the buildings will need to be demolished, which could send costs into the tens of millions of dollars.

It comes after a MRC prison guard, who was not authorised to speak publicly, said the new accommodation unit had been “just sitting empty” for more than a year.

“There is a massive accommodation unit that is supposed to house prisoners and it’s just sitting there,” he said, accusing bureaucrats of “sitting on their hands”.

“There are about 200 beds for prisoners but the construction workers on that unit left it out in the open, and now there is black mould which is an OH&S risk.”

The prison guard said the special accommodation was supposed to be used for prisoners with protection orders, like bikies with particular affiliations.

A Metropolitan Remand Centre guard has accusing bureaucrats of ‘sitting on their hands’. Picture: AAP

A Corrections Victoria spokesman said the department was working with contractors to fix the defects, adding that the unused beds at Barwon and MRC “do not count towards the current capacity of the system”.

As of March 14, 891 of the 954 available beds were occupied at MRC, while 297 of a total 403 beds were filled at Barwon Prison.

As the Allan government scrambles to plug prison staff shortages, already tight rosters are also forcing prisons to lock down units multiple times a month.

The Herald Sun can reveal that high-risk crooks are being handed phones to keep them well-behaved while they are locked in their cells.

Leaked Corrections Victoria records, obtained by the Herald Sun, show more than a dozen lockdowns occurred due to staff shortages in the four months to February 22 this year. They included six lockdowns at Barwon Prison, which houses some of the state’s worst killers and gangland figures.

Barwon Prison houses some of the state’s worst killers and gangland figures. Picture: Jason Edwards

In late October, dozens of prisoners were locked down in their cells due to staffing shortages in the infamous Banksia and Olearia units, with prisoners handed “portable phones”.

The Melaleuca, Banksia and Acacia units were then locked down due to “staff shortages and fatigue” in late November with prisoners offered “portable phones and visits” to keep them calm.

Less than two weeks later, the same units were closed down again due to “critical staff shortages” with “phones and video visits” facilitated.

Corrections Victoria told the Herald Sun the phones could only be used to call family on their approved lists and legal representatives, with the calls monitored and timed.

Opposition Corrections spokesman David Southwick slammed the government for leaving the taxpayer funded prison units to rot as he questioned why phones were being given to high-level offenders during lockdowns.

“How can Labor be expected to tackle the crime crisis in Victoria, when they can’t even tackle mould in our prisons,” he said.

“How did the situation in our prison system deteriorate to the point where, to cope with staff shortages, prisoners are being locked in their cells and given mobile phones?”

Originally published as Newly built multimillion dollar units housing more than 400 empty beds have been left to rot