The Minister for Counter Terrorism and Corrections, Anthony Roberts has announced that the Grafton Correctional Centre is to close in mid-2020 when the 1,700-bed Clarence Correctional Centre opens.
Mr Roberts said the decision was made in light of the $700 million investment in the new Clarence Correctional Centre which would allow for the closure of the more dated correctional facility in Grafton.
“The brand new correctional facility in Clarence will open up 600 jobs in the Clarence region, allowing staff currently employed at the Grafton Correctional Centre an opportunity to seek employment at the new facility,” Mr Roberts said.
“The NSW Government committed $3.8 billion in 2016 to the Prison Bed Capacity Program, investing in new facilities and expanding existing centres to improve safety and meet future needs,” he said.
“As new fit for purpose infrastructure becomes available, Corrective Services NSW has a responsibility to staff and inmates to use these safer and more secure facilities.”
Assistant Commissioner, Custodial Corrections at Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW), Kevin Corcoran said the 115 staff and 280 inmates would transition out of the prison over the next 10 months.
Mr Corcoran said there would be a voluntary redundancy program for some staff and Human Resources officers would be based at the prison for the next few months to give staff the support they need.
He said CSNSW would increase its non-prison jobs in Grafton, in areas such as inmate transport and Community Corrections, and that other jobs would become available when the expansion of the Mid-North Coast Correctional Centre opens at the end of this year.