Corrections Minister Nick McKim said the Department of Justice has been looking at the future of the farm in line with the Breaking the Cycle Strategic Plan for Corrections.

“One of the goals of that Plan is to provide infrastructure to meet the future needs of the corrections system,” Mr McKim said.

“Hayes Prison Farm is an ageing and dilapidated facility and for it to operate into the foreseeable future, the Government would need to spend around $4.5 million just to keep it at a reasonable standard and to ensure it is safe for inmates and staff.

“Although seeing Hayes close will be a somewhat sad occasion, in a modern corrections system the government believes the money expended operating Hayes, and the funding needed to keep it operating, can be better spent.”

Mr McKim said the Tasmania Prison Service will retain all proceeds from the sale and that the money will be spent on refurbishing two divisions at the Ron Barwick Minimum Security Prison, investing in prison industry and a pre-release transition facility at the Risdon site.

He said that staff at Hayes had been advised of the decision and all staff would be retained and relocated to other positions within the Tasmania Prison Service.