No matter where the government pinpointed its preferred location for a $270 million Northern Regional Prison, there was bound to be some level of community trepidation.
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And with such a significant investment it is often easier to reflect on the negatives.
The 270-bed facility has the potential to provide many economic benefits to the Westbury and Meander Valley regions, with 250 direct jobs expected to be created, plus many more through ancillary services and the construction phase. Perhaps the government could run a recruitment and training course for Northern Tasmanians to ensure a majority of the jobs are filled by people from the region.
The Meander Valley Council should be congratulated for putting forward a strong case for a project that has the potential to attract people to the region and provide businesses with a greater customer base.
The stigma of having a prison close to home would be hard to shake for some residents, but the criminals are not going to be walking the streets. The benefit to Northern and North-West inmates and their families should also not be overlooked. Prisoners are likely to benefit mentally from increased visitation, therefore heightening their chances of rehabilitation.
Extra prison capacity is needed, but not at the expense of other rehabilitation programs and initiatives funded by the state and Commonwealth, which Corrections Minister Elise Archer has already highlighted.
Concerns that property prices may plummet are not shared by Real Estate Institute of Tasmania president Tony Collidge, who says it is unlikely due to its distance from the township and the fact that Risdon Prison has had a limited impact on Risdon Vale.
Labor and the Greens' response to this $350 million overall Tasmanian prison-system infrastructure investment has a level of hypocrisy to it.
After criticising the government over the under-pressure justice system, it's ironic to then question an asset that could help alleviate some stress, albeit not immediate, but long-term. Constructive input would be far more respected.