Published Friday, 11 July, 2008 at 01:22 PM
Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Sport
The Honourable Judy Spence
Spence: New name, new role, new era for correctional centre
Queensland prisons entered a new era today, with the official opening of the new Brisbane Correctional Centre at Wacol – Queensland’s first dedicated reception and assessment prison.
Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence said: “This new prison cements Queensland’s reputation as an international leader in corrective services.
“We have spent $110 Million transforming the former Sir David Longland Prison into this new state-of-the-art facility.
“With a new capacity of 540 prisoners (an increase of 216 beds) the centre has reopened as south-east Queensland’s primary reception and assessment prison - meaning it will mostly house prisoners who have just been sentenced and are on their way to other prisons in the South-east corner.
“By having a dedicated reception facility we can streamline our sentence management plans, run effective health assessments and provide prisoners a fair and safe introduction into Queensland Corrective Services.
“The ultra-modern facility also houses up to 150 sentenced prisoners who will be based here throughout their term of imprisonment, and will take on prison jobs such as working in the kitchen, the garden and laundry.
“We have also established a state-of-the-art maximum security unit, for housing Queensland’s most dangerous prisoners – who pose a significant risk to other prisoners, staff or themselves.
“And the centre also includes a special unit for 17 year olds, so this particularly challenging group of offenders can be housed separately and managed on their unique management plans.”
Ms Spence said the centre sets new benchmarks in a range of areas, including electronic security technology and environmentally-friendly design principles.
“We have installed world-class computerised security management systems, surveillance cameras, perimeter intrusion detection systems, x-ray machines and drug detection scanners.
“The key challenge here was the integration of the various independent security systems such as video, audio, biometrics, staff duress tracking, movement control and perimeter security, into the one system.
“While this was a complex process to put in place, we are now able to boast a system that is not only user-friendly, but also provides a much higher level of safety and security for officers.
“The wide-spread use of digital technology has also placed us in such a position to be ready for the future digital world.”
Ms Spence said the new centre also includes a $3 Million water conservation system including:
• An industrial laundry meeting worlds-best practice standards on water saving measures;
• Eight 22,000 litre rainwater tanks on site;
• New toilets with flush valves that control the number of flushes in a 24-hour period,
• Three minute timers on all showers; and
• Five second stoppers on the taps.
“The project, managed by Bovis Lend Lease, has taken more than 667,000 hours of work to complete – since demolition work started in June 2006,” Ms Spence said.
“The demolition work paved the way for three, new 100-bed cell blocks, while a further eight cell-blocks and the industries workshops have been gutted and fully refurbished.
“The redevelopment also included a new prisoner reception and visitor processing areas, and an upgrade of the existing administration and kitchen facilities.
Construction materials included:
• 7800 cubic meters of concrete;
• 300,000 building blocks;
• 50,000 litres of paint; and
• 264 tonnes of structural steel.
The centre received its first prisoners on June 10, and now has 184 prisoners accommodated at the facility.
Media Contact: 3239 6218
Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence said: “This new prison cements Queensland’s reputation as an international leader in corrective services.
“We have spent $110 Million transforming the former Sir David Longland Prison into this new state-of-the-art facility.
“With a new capacity of 540 prisoners (an increase of 216 beds) the centre has reopened as south-east Queensland’s primary reception and assessment prison - meaning it will mostly house prisoners who have just been sentenced and are on their way to other prisons in the South-east corner.
“By having a dedicated reception facility we can streamline our sentence management plans, run effective health assessments and provide prisoners a fair and safe introduction into Queensland Corrective Services.
“The ultra-modern facility also houses up to 150 sentenced prisoners who will be based here throughout their term of imprisonment, and will take on prison jobs such as working in the kitchen, the garden and laundry.
“We have also established a state-of-the-art maximum security unit, for housing Queensland’s most dangerous prisoners – who pose a significant risk to other prisoners, staff or themselves.
“And the centre also includes a special unit for 17 year olds, so this particularly challenging group of offenders can be housed separately and managed on their unique management plans.”
Ms Spence said the centre sets new benchmarks in a range of areas, including electronic security technology and environmentally-friendly design principles.
“We have installed world-class computerised security management systems, surveillance cameras, perimeter intrusion detection systems, x-ray machines and drug detection scanners.
“The key challenge here was the integration of the various independent security systems such as video, audio, biometrics, staff duress tracking, movement control and perimeter security, into the one system.
“While this was a complex process to put in place, we are now able to boast a system that is not only user-friendly, but also provides a much higher level of safety and security for officers.
“The wide-spread use of digital technology has also placed us in such a position to be ready for the future digital world.”
Ms Spence said the new centre also includes a $3 Million water conservation system including:
• An industrial laundry meeting worlds-best practice standards on water saving measures;
• Eight 22,000 litre rainwater tanks on site;
• New toilets with flush valves that control the number of flushes in a 24-hour period,
• Three minute timers on all showers; and
• Five second stoppers on the taps.
“The project, managed by Bovis Lend Lease, has taken more than 667,000 hours of work to complete – since demolition work started in June 2006,” Ms Spence said.
“The demolition work paved the way for three, new 100-bed cell blocks, while a further eight cell-blocks and the industries workshops have been gutted and fully refurbished.
“The redevelopment also included a new prisoner reception and visitor processing areas, and an upgrade of the existing administration and kitchen facilities.
Construction materials included:
• 7800 cubic meters of concrete;
• 300,000 building blocks;
• 50,000 litres of paint; and
• 264 tonnes of structural steel.
The centre received its first prisoners on June 10, and now has 184 prisoners accommodated at the facility.
Media Contact: 3239 6218