The order means that documents will be released within a month. Photo: John Thistleton.
The State Government has been ordered to release a swathe of documents explaining its decision to close part of Goulburn’s jail.
The Goulburn Correctional Complex houses two facilities – the Goulburn Correctional Centre (Goulburn CC) and the High Risk Management Correctional Centre (HRMCC), or ‘Supermax’.
Earlier this year, the NSW Government announced its plan to close the maximum security section of Goulburn CC, which consists of two Victorian-era wings.
The Supermax facility will not be affected.
In the NSW Parliament, Liberal MLC Natasha Maclaren-Jones called for the release of documents around the closures.
This order spans all documents concerning “upgrades, operations, incidents or policy matters” at the jail.
She argued there was a lack of transparency, pointing to the lack of a public business case and economic assessment for the closure.
“The proposed closure of the wings raises significant concerns regarding transparency, workforce impacts, regional economic effects and the broader corrections system planning,” Ms Maclaren-Jones said.
“Stakeholders are not opposed to reform but are seeking evidence-based decision-making, genuine consultation and consideration of variable alternatives.”
As part of the closure, 170 inmates will be transferred from Goulburn to the Junee and Clarence correctional centres.
The controversial plan has triggered an outpouring of support for the facility, with a late-April rally in the town’s Belmore Park and strike action across the state.
Member for Monaro Nichole Overall said the decision to close the wings appeared motivated by budget concerns, without consideration for the impacts on the broader correctional system.
“We are talking about the confidence of an entire regional city. What level of analysis was done? … Clearly, we do not know,” Ms Overall said.
“The call for papers is needed to get to the bottom of these most basic questions before Labor tries to slide through yet another major development in this regard.”
She pointed to a petition signed by more than 17,500 people, urging the government to halt its closure plans.
“That is nothing to be sneezed at. There is serious and genuine concern,” Ms Overall said.
Labour’s Penny Sharpe confirmed that the government wasn’t opposing the motion.
She also hit out at Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman, saying she announced news of the closure publicly before staff were told.
“That has caused a huge degree of concern among staff. … The speculation that has been occurring about people’s livelihoods is unhelpful,” Ms Sharpe said.
In April, NSW Minister for Corrective Services Anoulack Chanthivong told Region there would be no forced redundancies or relocations for staff.
NSW Greens justice spokesperson Sue Higginson won support for her move to expand the motion’s scope to feature documents relating to either Goulburn CC or South Coast Correctional Centre.
She said her amendment followed a recent NSW Ombudsman report into the use of solitary confinement, including at South Coast Correctional Centre.
During its investigation, the watchdog slammed NSW Correctional Services’ delays in providing documents, labelling this “unlawful and wrong”.
Ms Higginson said the order to provide those documents would ensure transparency.
“Whether it is Goulburn, South Coast or any correctional centre, we can more completely understand decisions in the Corrections portfolio if we can satisfy ourselves that Corrective Services is obeying the law in relation to the Ombudsman’s oversight,” she said.
A Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) spokesperson said the agency was committed to transparency.
“CSNSW complies with all requirements from NSW Parliament to produce documents under Standing Order 52,” they told Region.
“CSNSW are committed to ensuring that requests from the Ombudsman are actioned in a more efficient manner.”
The NSW Government must release the documents within 21 days.
Original Article published by Claire Sams on About Regional.
