Responding in Parliament today to concerns raised by Kimberley MLA Carol Martin about the prison's sub-standard condition, Ms Quirk said Broome prison was widely regarded as having lived well past its use by date and was continuing to experience serious overcrowding.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Corrective Services Minister Margaret Quirk has announced the first tenders for an $11.2million upgrade of Broome Regional Prison will be advertised this month.
Responding in Parliament today to concerns raised by Kimberley MLA Carol Martin about the prison’s sub-standard condition, Ms Quirk said Broome prison was widely regarded as having lived well past its use by date and was continuing to experience serious overcrowding.
“While a replacement prison for the Kimberley is under consideration, this much-needed upgrade will alleviate the most pressing issues facing staff and prisoners alike,” she said.
“Consultants have been engaged, planning work and tender documents have been completed and temporary facilities are already being procured.
“Integral to the program are significant improvements to the prison’s perimeter security and condition upgrades to both the men and women’s maximum-security facilities.”
The Minister said the Carpenter Government was making decisions for the future by working to ensure our strong economy was delivering better services for all Western Australians.
Ms Quirk said the works would increase space in the prison to help ease some the overcrowding issues and provide areas for more education and vocational courses to be run.
The Minister said the Department of Housing and Works would co-ordinate the works and administer all of the contracts that would progressively be put to tender in four stages as follows:
1. A forward works package to upgrade the site’s electrical supply was currently being completed and would be advertised for tender on April 18 in order for this work to be completed ahead of the upgrade works. The tender would be in the market for the minimum period of three weeks in accordance with Government procurement guidelines.
2. Tenders for a new perimeter fence would be advertised on April 25 with work scheduled to be completed by December 28.
3. A relocatable temporary education centre, which had already been procured, would be installed on-site by May 25. This would allow the existing education area to be vacated ahead of construction of the new education centre. The transportable would be reused at the prison once the new education centre had been completed.
4. The balance of the upgrade works would be advertised for tender on May 30 with work expected to be completed by March 31, 2008.
Ms Quirk said staff at Broome Regional Prison were to be commended for the professional way in which they continued to carry out their duties despite the adverse conditions.
“The upgrade program will provide for a better working and living environment while the future of prison services in the Kimberley was being finalised,” she said.
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