Anti-prison activists cash up with crowd funding campaign

A community group rallying against plans to build a prison at Westbury has turned to crowd-funding as efforts ramp up to block the project.

A WESTBURY community group rallying against plans to build a prison on the town’s outskirts has turned to crowd-funding as efforts ramp up to block the project.

More than $3000 has so far been raised on a GoFundMe page created by members of the Westbury Region Against the Prison group.

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The group hopes to raise as much as $15,000 to hire independent consultants and professionals as they intensify opposition to the proposal.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has donated to us to date, and we will continue our fundraising activities over coming months,’’ said Linda Poulton, president of the community group.

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“However, we would like everyone to know that if they only have enough funds to donate to one cause, please make a donation towards a bushfire appeal at this point in time instead of to WRAP.

“Our hearts go out to all communities who are fighting these catastrophic fires across Australia.”

Corrections Minister Elise Archer in September announced an industrial site 2km from the town centre was the Government’s preferred location for a 275-bed jail.

Hundreds attended a protest against the prison proposal in the town in October.

Ms Archer last month held consultation sessions with the community, while another public meeting was staged. Ms Archer said the site remained a preferred site only and no final decision had been made.