The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to keeping Tasmanians safe and ensuring criminals are in prison and not roaming the streets.
Accordingly, the Government has today called for tenders for the design and construction of two, 2-storey minimum security accommodation units and a single storey mother and baby accommodation unit at the Mary Hutchinson Women’s Prison.
The new facilities will provide an additional 20 minimum security beds to accommodate female prisoners within the TPS. It will also contain a purpose built five bed mother baby unit, which will include a day nursery.
Having the budget back on track is allowing us to invest in crucial prison infrastructure such as this, and the 2017-18 Budget allocated $2.641 million in capital funding for these works.
Recurrent funding has also been provided for the additional staff required to operate these new and expanded facilities, as well as to meet the associated ongoing property and maintenance costs.
It’s part of $26 million provided to the TPS between 2017-18 and 2020-21 to fund a range of projects and programs, with the ultimate aim of not only keeping the community safe, but also allowing prisoners to rehabilitate and get their lives back on track.
The request for tenders closes on 8 November 2017, and it is expected the contract will be awarded in January 2018 with work to commence shortly after.
It’s a far cry from Labor’s approach who did not promise one additional Correctional Officer in their alternative budget, and who oppose our plan to phase out suspended sentences and impose mandatory sentences for serious sexual crimes against children.