Thursday, 2 November 2023
The following statement can be attributed to the Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke:
STARTS
I’m calling on Corrections Minister Anoulack Chanthivong to come forward and be up front with the community about his plans for the future operations of the Junee Correctional Centre.
The centre has been managed by the GEO Group for over 30 years; in that time they have been an important part of the Junee community.
They have been a major employer in the town – one of the biggest in the Riverina region – which obviously has significant flow-on effects within the broader community.
They’ve also been a part of various fundraising efforts including supporting our farmers through previous droughts, and have initiated programs whereby inmates contribute to the beautification of the town, creating an inviting place to live, work, and visit.
It appears the government is now re-evaluating these arrangements, seemingly without any kind of community consultation.
Once again we’re faced with a situation whereby this city-centric NSW Labor Government seems to be making unilateral decisions far removed from the regional communities that feel the impact.
The community deserves to hear directly from the Minister, not only about his plan for the future of the centre, but the reasons behind the decision.
Some staff have been with the centre since it opened back in 1993; they and their colleagues deserve to know what the future looks like for them, and what implications the Minister’s plans may have going forward.
He needs to be clear about his decision; explain any impact it may have on the broader community; and outline what the government is going to do to address any social and economic ramifications.
ENDS
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