Housing and childcare for staff have been identified as the two major issues with the expansion at the Wellington Correctional Centre, but acting Macquarie Correctional Centre (MCC) general manager Craig Smith said things are running smoothly.
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The development of Australia’s first high security rapid-build prison is expected to create an additional 220 jobs at the jail, doubling its current workforce.
The new facility will add 400 beds. It’s part of the NSW government’s $3.8 billion plan to manage the rising prisoner population.
The jail is innovative in it’s Australian-first open plan dormitory design.
Mr Smith said the design is used in other parts of the world, particularly in the United States.
Mr Smith said the MCC has already seen staff coming from all over the Central West to begin their living and working lives in and around Wellington.
“We’ve taken new staff on already, so they will be fully trained and ready to go by the time the new jail opens in June or July,” Mr Smith said.
Dubbo Regional Council economic development officer Jacki Parish said to maximise the opportunities for development council had created an opportunities paper and action plan.
From workshops with stakeholders and one-on-one information sessions, the lack of available housing and the limited childcare options for shift workers were identified as major problems to result from the expansion, Ms Parish said.
Council’s goal is to have 50 per cent of staff at the MCC living in Wellington.
“It’s interesting to note that about 30 per cent of the new positions were living in Wellington when the first correctional centre was developed, and now almost 10 years later there’s about 60 per cent of people who reside in Wellington,” Ms Parish said.
Creating a solution for the housing and childcare concerns are part of council’s long term plan.
To determine what is done, council will consider the level of involvement each issue needs and weigh them against priorities and resources it had to maximise opportunities.
“Some of the short term objectives that we’re able to achieve in the next 12 months are supporting the recruitment, building on destination appeal, and developing a framework of engagement for new residents and employees to support their relocation to Wellington,” Ms Parish said.
When direct, industrial and consumption effects are taken into consideration, the total number of new jobs in the Wellington local government area expected to be created by the expansion is 309.
It is also projected to add $33.3 million to the economy.
