Date: 2008-05-08
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Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence today announced that the rezoning process is complete for the Innisfail Work Camp to be permanently located at the Goondi Mill Road site. Ms Spence said that the site had been designated as community infrastructure, following an extensive consultation process.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence today announced that the rezoning process is complete for the Innisfail Work Camp to be permanently located at the Goondi Mill Road site.
Ms Spence said that the site had been designated as community infrastructure, following an extensive consultation process.
“In August 2006, the former Johnstone Shire Council formally requested a permanent work camp in Innisfail following its success in helping with the clean up after Cyclone Larry,” she said.
“The Goondi Mill site had been identified as the best site out of six options that were identified during the community consultation last year.
“QCS is now liaising with QBuild to complete a condition report of the premises.
“QBuild’s advice about what work needs to occur at the site to bring it in line with the requirements of our Work camps, will determine when the camp can move to its permanent location.
“The camp has been operating out of the Goondi sports complex for more than two years, ” Ms Spence said.
In December 2007, Project Services was commissioned to start the six stage process of Ministerial designation.
Today’s announcement means that the six stages of reporting, planning and consultation are complete.
During this process only one formal objection to the Goondi Mill Road site was received.
Since the camp started operations in March 2006, more than 14,000 hours, equivalent to $210,000 worth of labour, have been completed.
This work includes:
• the clean-up and removal of Cyclone Larry debris;
• painting community facilities;
• mowing and maintenance of council-controlled parks and facilities such as the Pease Park showgrounds, the Goondi Sports Ground, Callander Park and Castor Park;
• jet spraying of facilities and amenities throughout the shire;
• clean-up of beaches, foreshores and removal of debris from boat ramps;
• various jobs for the local TAFE and a number of schools; and
• setting up for and cleaning up after, shire events including the annual Harvest Festival, Feast of the Senses, and the annual show and races.
Ms Spence said QCS, the disaster recovery team and the Johnstone Shire Council shared a very productive and successful partnership throughout the lifespan of the Work Camp.
“The Work Camp program was founded in this type of disaster relief work when floods hit Charleville in 1990,” she said.
“QCS continues to pride itself on being able to quickly divert Work camp prisoners from their usual duties to assist communities in need.
“Since January this year, Work camp prisoners from Darling Downs and Capricornia correctional centres have been assisting with flood clean up duties in south-east and central Queensland.
“At one stage more than 100 prisoners were assisting local councils.
“This is a tremendous effort by our Work camp teams,” Ms Spence said.
Lotus Glen Correctional Centre manages the Innisfail camp and has sent 39 prisoners to work at the site since it took over operations in July 2006.
There are currently seven prisoners working at the camp, supervised by an experienced Custodial Correctional Officer.
There are two officers assigned to the camp. The officers work seven-day shifts - seven on, seven off.
Each of the officers have at least five years’ experience working with corrective services and one of them is from the Innisfail region.
Prisoners at the camp have been learning skills such as operating excavators, front-end loaders, bulldozers and quad bikes, that could help them find a job upon release.
There is a strict assessment process before prisoners can be placed at a Work camp. Many are close to release from prisoner or progression to parole.
Prisoners with a sexual offence history or classified as a serious violent offenders are ineligible to participate.
Each permanent Work camp has a Community Advisory Committee with a membership of local community members such as councillors, representatives of community service clubs, church or welfare organisations, union representatives and police.
These committees decide what work is undertaken in the area and ensure projects do not take away from paid work.
Last financial year, Work camps provided 100,000 hours to community service projects, valued at $1.5 million. Since July 1, 2007, until the end of February this year, more than $1.3 million (90,600 hours) worth of community service labour was completed by work prisoners across Queensland.
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