Prison water tank business not to blame for lay offs

Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence has rejected claims that the water tank manufacturing program at the Woodford Correctional Centre could force other manufacturers to lay off staff.

“Corrective Services considered any impact on local businesses and jobs – as happens with all new business proposals,” Ms Spence said.

“Corrective Services is not selling water tanks to the public. It is supplying tanks to manufacturers as a result of a competitive tendering process.

“The successful tenderers were required to have an exit strategy in the event that local manufacturers could meet demand.

“South East Queensland is still suffering the impact of the worst drought in a century.

“The Department of Natural Resources and Water indicates that the State Government Rebate Scheme is still attracting an average of 5 000 applications per week of which between 60% and 70% are for rainwater tanks.

“On top of this, from 1 July 2007, all new houses in the State will require the installation of

5 000 litre tanks as a condition of housing plan approvals.

“With the continued growth in net migration, it is estimated that an additional 100 000 water tanks will be required for 2007-2008, to service the new housing market.

“To date Woodford Correctional Centre has manufactured 8 polyethylene and 80 steel rainwater tanks. This small number of water tanks manufactured is servicing orders taken in May 2007

“Queensland Corrective Services is not in the business of undercutting the market.

“While prisoners are paid a small amount for their labour there are a large number of costs associated with using prisoners.

“Higher levels of training, supervision and security staff are required and productivity levels are lower. This means that a water tank manufactured by prisoners costs about the same to produce as a tank made by a private business.

“When the initiative was announced it was widely welcomed by the industry because it would provide not only water tanks – when the average wait time for an order was 22 weeks – but would also provide skilled labour at the time when the state has record low unemployment.

More than 3,000 of Queensland's prisoners are currently working in a wide range of commercial and service industries, including furnishing and carpentry, agriculture, automotives, metal fabrication, hospitality and textiles.

Other prisoners currently working in the Woodford industries workshops are manufacturing pool fencing, aluminium frames for motor home seats, television cabinets, street swags for the homeless, and rescue mannequins for flying doctor and police training.

Many of these prisoners are able to gain nationally accredited qualifications associated with their industry participation.

All of these industries provide prisoners with valuable skills for life outside the razor wire, and help to address areas of need for production in our society.

Ms Spence said more than 50% of Queensland's prison population was unemployed at the time of their arrest, and more than 84% of inmates have an educational level of grade ten or below.

"Research shows unemployment and lack of education can have a major impact on the likelihood of re-offending.

"Industry work and training allows prisoners to develop new skills and establish a work ethic that will increase their chances of employment upon release and therefore reduce the risk of recidivism,” Ms Spence said.

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