Prisoners sent to help Charleville flood clean-up
Published Friday, 18 January, 2008 at 05:12 PM
Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology
The Honourable Robert Schwarten
Prisoners will return to Charleville tomorrow, to once again help the community recover from the effects of flooding.
Acting Premier Robert Schwarten said two Work Camp crews comprising 24 low-risk prisoners and two supervisors were expected to arrive in Charleville by late tomorrow, where they will be met by a third Supervisor.
“The crews will be assigned to urgent tasks nominated by the Department of Emergency Services and other agencies,” Mr Schwarten said.
“A meeting with Emergency Services on Monday will provide further advice on moving another Work Camp into the area.
“Work Camp crews in the flood affected areas of Blackall, Clermont, Winton and Boulia are already working in conjunction with local Community Advisory Councils to determine what tasks need to be undertaken.
“The situation in Longreach is also being closely monitored to determine the appropriate response.”
“Prisoners travelling to Charleville have already been providing substantial assistance to the people of flood-affected Beaudesert during the past week, where they have removed mud and silt from homes, repaired bridges, repaired boundary fences to prevent livestock losses, restacked wet hay, and removed mud and rubble from a community hall.
“Other prisoners from the nearby Palen Creek Correctional Centre will continue to assist in the clean-up of the Beaudesert area, while the two Darling Downs Correctional Centre crews are deployed to the Charleville work camp.”
Mr Schwarten said a prisoner work camp has been operating in the Charleville area for 17 years.
“The Queensland prisoner work camp program was in fact borne out of the need for community assistance during the 1990 Charleville floods, when prisoner labour was first used to help a community recover from a natural disaster.
“Since then, the program has developed into a network of men’s and women’s camps across Queensland, contributing around $1 million each year in labour costs to rural and regional towns.
“The important work completed by the crews allows residents in towns suffering the effects of natural disasters to start the recovery process and get back on their feet sooner.
“The program also gives low-risk prisoners important opportunities to give something back to communities and develop skills and a work ethic.”
Prisoners with sexual offending backgrounds are not eligible to participate in the program.
Media Contact: Scott Chandler on 0488 096 204
Acting Premier Robert Schwarten said two Work Camp crews comprising 24 low-risk prisoners and two supervisors were expected to arrive in Charleville by late tomorrow, where they will be met by a third Supervisor.
“The crews will be assigned to urgent tasks nominated by the Department of Emergency Services and other agencies,” Mr Schwarten said.
“A meeting with Emergency Services on Monday will provide further advice on moving another Work Camp into the area.
“Work Camp crews in the flood affected areas of Blackall, Clermont, Winton and Boulia are already working in conjunction with local Community Advisory Councils to determine what tasks need to be undertaken.
“The situation in Longreach is also being closely monitored to determine the appropriate response.”
“Prisoners travelling to Charleville have already been providing substantial assistance to the people of flood-affected Beaudesert during the past week, where they have removed mud and silt from homes, repaired bridges, repaired boundary fences to prevent livestock losses, restacked wet hay, and removed mud and rubble from a community hall.
“Other prisoners from the nearby Palen Creek Correctional Centre will continue to assist in the clean-up of the Beaudesert area, while the two Darling Downs Correctional Centre crews are deployed to the Charleville work camp.”
Mr Schwarten said a prisoner work camp has been operating in the Charleville area for 17 years.
“The Queensland prisoner work camp program was in fact borne out of the need for community assistance during the 1990 Charleville floods, when prisoner labour was first used to help a community recover from a natural disaster.
“Since then, the program has developed into a network of men’s and women’s camps across Queensland, contributing around $1 million each year in labour costs to rural and regional towns.
“The important work completed by the crews allows residents in towns suffering the effects of natural disasters to start the recovery process and get back on their feet sooner.
“The program also gives low-risk prisoners important opportunities to give something back to communities and develop skills and a work ethic.”
Prisoners with sexual offending backgrounds are not eligible to participate in the program.
Media Contact: Scott Chandler on 0488 096 204