Government stands firm despite anger over new northern prison plan

The Government will press on with plans to build a 270-bed prison in Westbury despite community opposition.

An artist’s impression of the proposed new northern prison site at Westbury.

ATTORNEY-General Elise Archer has denied calling the people of Westbury “NIMBYs” for opposing the Government’s plans for a new prison near the town.

Debate over the issue dominated Question Time in State Parliament today.

Ms Archer accused Labor member Jen Butler of “spreading mistruths and fear mongering” as Premier Will Hodgman held firm on his Government’s plan to build the $270 million prison just outside the town.

Hundreds of people turned out to voice their opposition to the jail at a public meeting at the weekend.

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“I and the Government support the decision that has been arrived at through a process that determined a preferred site for the northern prison,” he said.
“It is absolute arrant nonsense for the leader of the opposition to challenge us on this matter, when it is she who is being silent and it is they who, as is often the case, who are trying to walk both sides of the street.

“They are sitting on the fence – in this instance sitting on a razor wire fence. It must be uncomfortable.”

Hundreds of people turned out for a protest against the proposed prison. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Opposition Leader Rebecca White said the people who were opposed to the prison were being ignored.

“For the people of Westbury, this is incredibly disheartening,” she said.

“They heard from Government members on Saturday that they were going to be listened to and yet today the Government claim that they are going to proceed and push ahead with the Westbury prison site.

“We’ve called on the Government to release the full list of sites that they were considering to locate a prison in the North of the state.

“The community themselves would like to have this information. The Government have identified there were 10 sites that were identified and brought to their attention that they then considered for short-listing.

The proposed site of the northern prison at Birralee Road, Westbury. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the prison should built in Deloraine.

“Why aren’t they looking at the Ashley Detention Centre?

“Why aren’t they supporting a more therapeutic approach to the eight to 10 kids a year who are in Ashley, closing down Ashley to children and turning that into the northern prison?

“All the infrastructure is there at Ashley in Deloraine, you’ve got a community that supports a correctional facility in their community, you’ve got staff there, and you won’t have any of the sort of huge community unease we’re having now about a proposed prison in Westbury.”