As part of the Hodgman majority Liberal Government’s commitment to keeping Tasmanians safe, recruitment for up to 90 Correctional Officers is now underway.
This latest round of recruitment is part of our Plan that has already seen 107 Correctional Officers recruited since May 2016, with the Tasmania Prison Service (TPS) welcoming a further 12 recruits to its ranks in October.
Training for the latest recruitment of 25 Correctional Officers has just begun, with two more courses of a similar size planned for next year.
To be successful, candidates must undergo 10 weeks of rigorous training, with graduates then available for rostering to TPS facilities at the Risdon site, the Hobart Reception Prison and the Launceston Reception Prison.
Not only is the Hodgman majority Liberal Government significantly increasing the number of Correctional Officers, we are also getting on with the job of delivering our $350 million prison infrastructure investment program.
Just last week, we turned the first sod at the $70 million Southern Remand Centre and shortly we’ll announce the preferred site for the $270 million new Northern Prison.
Further, tenders have been sought for the $24.5 million Justice Connect Program, which will result in a more effective and efficient justice system, including across our courts and prisons.
While we make no apology for being tough on serious crime, we want offenders to rehabilitate and get their lives back on track, becoming productive, law-abiding members of society who no longer pose a threat to the community.
The Hodgman majority Liberal Government is committed to optimising opportunities for rehabilitation and improving facilities in response to increases in demand faced by all Australian jurisdictions.