Prisoners help with flood recovery in Innisfail

Prisoners from the Innisfail Work Camp have assisted with the clean-up of the town in the wake of damaging floods.

Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan, visiting Innisfail to inspect the damage, said the group of nine prisoners and a supervisor assisted with cleaning up the historic cemetery and parts of the Esplanade fronting the Johnstone River.

“The Palaszczuk Government recognises the importance of community service as an opportunity for low-security prisoners to make reparation to the community harmed by the offending behaviour and to develop employment skills,” Minister Ryan said.

“The prisoners from the Innisfail work camp spent the past weekend removing flood debris from the cemetery and brushing down gravestones and memorials as well as shovelling mud and pressure cleaning a section of the Esplanade.

“This is an excellent example of the Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) Work Program providing a benefit to the community.

“In 2016–17, prisoners on the Work Program completed 179,291 hours of community service equating to approximately $4.37 million worth of labour provided to support regional Queensland.”

QCS Commissioner Peter Martin said work camps were founded as part of an emergency response effort to help the people of Charleville clean up and rebuild their community after devastating floods in 1990.

“Today, the QCS Work Program continues to provide assistance to communities that have been devastated by floods, storms or other natural disasters,” Mr Martin said.

“The Work Program provides regional communities with a valuable source of labour, as the projects are unique to their location and community needs."

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BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES ATTACHED

Media contact:

Emma McBryde 0447 155 332