Construction Starts On Chisholm Road Prison

  • Minister for Corrections

Construction has started on Victoria’s largest maximum-security prison – part of the Andrews Labor Government’s plan to build more beds to ensure the state’s corrections system keeps pace with demand.

Minister for Corrections Ben Carroll and Member for Lara John Eren today turned the first sod at the Chisholm Road site, next to the existing Barwon Prison.

As Victoria grows and our 3,135 new police officers hit the beat, the Labor Government is investing in the infrastructure our corrections system needs to keep the community safe.

When completed, the maximum-security men’s prison will hold more than 1,200 beds and comprise eight prisoner communities, each with two 78-bed accommodation units.

The project is expected to deliver economic benefits worth $173 million to the Greater Geelong region, including more than 900 direct jobs and several hundred indirect jobs during the construction phase.

Once operational, the prison will provide more than 650 ongoing jobs, including prison officers, psychologists, teachers, allied health professionals, administrators and maintenance staff.

Importantly, 30,000 hours of work have been earmarked specifically for disadvantaged Victorians and $8.9 million worth of activities will be awarded to Victorians living with a disability.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers have also been allocated 120,000 hours of work on the project.

Local community have been closely consulted during the planning and design of the project, providing extensive input on traffic management, car parking, noise and visual impacts and environmental issues.

The new prison is expected to be completed in 2022 and is part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to improving community safety through a safe, secure prison system that is well-equipped to meet future demand.

The Labor Government has opened or funded 5,000 new prison beds since coming to office, including more than 1,600 through the Government’s $1.8 billion investment the Victorian Budget 2019/20.

As noted by Minister for Corrections Ben Carroll

“We’re investing in the prison infrastructure we need to keep our community safe – Chisholm Road will not only add extra beds to the system, it will include the full range of services needed to support rehabilitation.”

“Not only is this project delivering hundreds of jobs to Lara, we’re making sure that people with a disability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians are guaranteed 150,000 hours of work.”

As stated by Member for Lara John Eren

“This project is delivering a significant boost for our local economy – creating hundreds of local jobs, including 900 direct jobs during construction and 650 jobs ongoing.”

/Public Release. View in full here.