Northern Prison

We, the undersigned Citizens of Tasmania, draw to the attention of the House our opposition to the construction of a prison within the Meander Valley.

Furthermore, the prison currently proposed, for the highly visible Ashley Youth Detention Centre site, would be an inappropriate development on the scenic Meander Valley Road, surrounded by working farms and less than 2km from the historic Bowerbank Mill entrance to Deloraine.

The near neighbours and the community of Deloraine and the Meander Valley, including service providers, small business owners, tourism operators, artists, residents, and farmers believe that the negative impacts of the prison cannot be mitigated.

We propose subsidising transport for prison visitors from the north rather than duplicating a prison system in the north of the state, located away from the courts, services, staff and accommodation that a major city could provide.

Your Petitioners, therefore, request the House to call on the Government to cancel the prison proposed for a site in the Meander Valley and explore other options, such as expanding the existing Risdon prison and re-establishing a prison rehabilitation farm.