Western Australia Minister for Corrective Services Francis Logan

Work Begins On $96.3 Million 512 Prison Bed Expansion

Victor P Taffa

• Site works have begun for 512 new beds and support facilities
• New beds will ease Western Australia’s inherited overcrowded prisons
• New unit will be Western Australia’s first alcohol and other drug treatment prison for men
• Project valued at $96.3 Million

McGowan Government has begun construction on 4 new prison units, which will help address overcrowded prisons inherited from the previous government.

“By building 4 new units on the existing Casuarina prison footprint, we can get new beds up and running in a fraction of the time and cost it would take to build a new prison.” Minister for Corrective Services Francis Logan said.

“Even if it had, it would take 5 years and up to $1.5 Billion to build which is currently unaffordable and frankly would be too late.”

4 new units at Casuarina Prison will bring 512 beds on-line and are budgeted to cost $96.3 Million.

When combined with a new 160-bed unit at Bunbury Regional Prison, the recommissioning of a closed unit at the prison, and cell modifications throughout the prison estate, there is expected to be nearly 900 new beds by early 2020.

Minister for Corrective Services Francis Logan today turned the sod at the Casuarina site to mark where 2 new units, housing 256 beds in each, will be built by local Perth company Broad Construction. The 2 new units are expected to be complete by the end of 2019

1 of the remaining 2 units, which are expected to be ready by early 2020, will include a new approach to tackling the scourge of methamphetamine with a dedicated alcohol and other drug treatment facility for men.

On completion of the drug and alcohol program, the male offenders will return to their units and serve the remainder of their sentences.

Upon release from prison, offenders will be transitioned to other programs to continue their efforts to break the cycle of drug addiction and crime.

A women’s treatment prison has been in operation for nearly 6 months.