By Charlene Macaulay
Wyndham locals have shared their shock and fury at reports the state government will be building a $250 million youth detention centre in Werribee South.
According to The Age, the 250 bed facility will include a high-security unit for the state’s worst youth offenders and will be built on a greenfield site in Werribee South, off the Princes Freeway, in response to a string of violent uprisings, escapes and several damning reviews of existing facilities at Malmsbury and Parkville.
When contacted by Star Weekly, the state government would not confirm any details, with a spokesperson saying: “The government has made no secret about its plan to build a new, fit-for-purpose youth justice facility to keep young offenders secure and the community safe.”
Werribee MP Tim Pallas’s office put out the same statement a few hours later.
More than 70 people have taken to the Wyndham Star Weekly Facebook page this morning to vent their frustrations over the move, with many raising concerns about a youth jail devaluing properties and the Wyndham Harbour and the Werribee South tourism precincts.
Maree added: “Daniel Andrews has denied funding in our area for schools, police stations and emergency services, but finds the cash for this.”
President of the Ratepayers of Werribee South Joe Garra said while a new youth detention centre was needed, it should be built alongside existing correctional facilities.
“I cannot see one positive to having it at Werribee South,” he said.
“There’s been no consultation, no communication, nothing.”
Former Wyndham councillor Glenn Goodfellow and Wyndham locals Lisa Heinrichs and Melissa Barber will host a planning meeting at the Western Region Environment Centre in Wyndham Vale from 7.30pm tomorrow to plan an appropriate course of action, with a view to holding a larger community meeting next week.
“We don’t want this in Werribee South,” Ms Heinrichs said.
“No-one would have blinked twice if they had announced that they were putting it near the Dame Phillis Frost Centre, Ravenhall [prison], Port Phillip, Barwon… it makes no sense to put another prison 28 kilometres from Port Phillip, on its own, in a food bowl, in a tourist precinct, on top of a residential zoning area.
“It’s illogical.”
Wyndham chief executive Kelly Grigsby said the council would be seeking an urgent meeting with the state government to “ensure that the best interests of the Wyndham community are a key priority”.
“Wyndham council is yet to receive official advice in relation to a youth detention centre being built in Werribee,” Ms Grigsby said.
“For a project of this magnitude, council would expect an extensive community consultation process to occur prior to a decision being made.”
Western metropolitan MP Bernie Finn said the facility would destroy the character of Werribee South.
“This is a bloody outrage.
“To suggest that we would put a youth jail on the doorstop of Wyndham Harbour and the Werribee tourism precinct shows that the government is out of touch.
“What are they thinking? It’s outrageous, and the community is rightly furious.”
