Opponents of the plan to build a Northern prison at Westbury have taken their cause to the heart of Launceston, holding an "information rally" in Civic Square.
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On a sunny Saturday morning, organisers of the Westbury Region Against the Prison group set up a stand in the square where passers-by could approach them to learn more about the state government's proposal to build the $270 million prison facility on Birralee Road, two kilometres north of Westbury.
WRAP doesn't believe Westbury is the right location for the prison and is dissatisfied with the process that led to the Valley Central Industrial Precinct being selected as the government's preferred site.
The group's membership has grown to 130 members and it's raised $10,000 to be used if it ever needs to engage consultants and lawyers in its fight against the government.
WRAP president Linda Poulton said the group had established a "quiet presence" in Civic Square, allowing anyone with an interest in the subject to learn more about it.
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"We've got newsletters we've released about what we've been up to, information sheets about the background [relating to the prison] and anything useful that people can glean some information from," Ms Poulton said.
"We're hopeful that our presence here will allow people to come and ask us any questions they've got about why we're opposed to the prison."
Ms Poulton said WRAP wanted to "widen the issue" of the Northern prison outside just the Meander Valley municipality.
"It's important because where this prison goes is an issue that should be of interest to everybody in the North," she said.
"Westbury is a town that a lot of people have an interest in: for historical reasons, for family reasons.
"We believe it's important that the wider community knows how poor we think the process was and how badly we've been treated."
The rally began at 11.30am and ended at 1.30pm.
The government is in the process of undertaking a social and economic impact study in relation to its plan to build the prison at Westbury.