This week’s announcement of a maximum security youth prison in Werribee South has stirred up anger among locals, with much of that directed at Werribee MP Tim Pallas.
The minister sat down with Star Weekly’s Charlene Macaulay this morning to discuss the Hoppers Lane site, the lack of consultation and what it means for the future of Wyndham.
What is the address of the planned youth detention centre?
It will be across lots 47, 48 and 49 Hoppers Lane. It’s effectively off Hoppers Lane, between Hoppers Lane and the Princes Freeway.
As Werribee MP, what are your thoughts on this location – are you happy to see this facility being built in your electorate?
I understand the need for this. I recognise that the minister [for youth affairs] has gone through a pretty exhaustive process of looking at alternative sites. Essentially, there was a number of criteria that had to be assessed, and this is something that has to be recognised in the filtering of those sites.
You don’t think that this location could have detrimental effects on the Werribee tourism precinct, Wyndham Harbour, the market gardens, nearby schools or local properties?
Not at all. We know that the Parkville precinct is in a residential area, abutting housing, and it’s had no adverse effect on housing and the desirability of that location in the community, or public’s mind. More importantly, we do recognise that there is a need to change the nature of the facility, to make sure it is adequately buffered, so the community is not abutting up against it. There is at least half a kilometre in all directions from residential housing estates.
Additionally, what we do recognise is that it’s hardly going to have any impact upon the Werribee South agricultural precinct, it’s a fair way from it and it won’t in any way impact on the activities that are going on there. I think we do need to recognise that this will be not only a secure location, but it will be one that’s, in many ways, visually separated and separate from the tourism area. We recognise that the community take great pride in the tourism precinct, it’s one of the big attractors to this area and might I say, it’s one of the biggest tourism attractors in Victoria. We’re going to protect that, and we’re going to make sure that there’s no visual impediment on people being able to access the area.
Why weren’t Wyndham City Council, or residents, consulted on this matter before a decision was made?
I believe that the government has met all its consultation obligations. There is no point having consultation with the world at large. There was no point consulting anybody until the government had determined its preferred location. Once you’ve got a preferred location, then of course those discussions with the community, with the council, with everybody else, can and must occur.
The government’s genuine in our willingness to seek to listen to the concerns the community have, and seek to amend and adjust our planning accordingly. What we recognise is that this is a preferred site, we also understand this is a community that takes great pride in how it is presented to the world.
Let’s never lose sight of what this facility is about. It’s a juvenile detention centre set up expressly for the purpose of not only containing young people while they’re working their way through the judicial process, but also giving them the opportunity for a new start. There will be an education facility incorporated within it, and this is about making sure that they get the best possible start to rehabilitation.
Are you saying that the Werribee South location is not set in stone?
The government’s been very clear, we have a preferred location… and that’s what we will be seeking to deliver, that preferred location. But, we are very genuine in saying that there’s a process of consultation. If the council, or anybody else, thinks that the preferred location needs to be enhanced, improved, we’re happy to talk about that, but this idea of talking in abstract to the world at large about our thinking until we had a proposal, I think was meaningless.
I understand people will want to talk about whether there are alternative sites, but I have to say that having looked at the efforts the minister went through… I’m satisfied that she’s identified the best location.
You’re comfortable with the idea that a location has been determined without anyone in this area being consulted with prior?
No, I’m satisfied that a preferred location has been identified by the government for the purposes of having a meaningful engagement with the community, not a nebulous or a conceptual one.
Yes or no, is there any scope for the facility to be built elsewhere?
Obviously, when we’re talking about a preferred location, we’re not talking about an exclusive location. Of course, we will require convincing that there is a location that would meet the requirements that we’ve set. It’s a location that we will be advocating for… we need to get on and deliver this, but we also need to recognise we have an obligation to talk to the community about how they see this facility being delivered.
I understand that council may have alternative locations, they’ll need to come up with compelling arguments why those alternative locations meet all the criteria that the government has an obligation to satisfy. [There needs to be a] buffer to residents, accessibility for staff, topography of the land, soil and ground quality, size of location, proximity to public transport and road network, and availability of the site for immediate works.
What other sites were considered?
I’m not going to talk about what other sites were identified, I don’t think that’s fair to those communities.
Many locals are strongly opposed to the location. To date, there’s a petition with over 8800 signatures calling for the youth detention centre to be built elsewhere. The council has formally opposed the location this week, and even Labor Party members in Wyndham – including Marie Brittan, who was your own electoral officer, have spoken out against the location. What have you got to say to them?
They don’t hand out popularity prizes for juvenile detention centres, or indeed, any part of the prison network. There’s $288 million worth of capital investment at a time we’re seeing an enormous capital investment from the state in this area. But we also recognise that there are some elements of the government’s work that not everybody’s going to be pleased with. In fact, few people would be in the area as seeing themselves as advocates of a juvenile detention centre.
It’s hard work, but it’s important work, otherwise we effectively consign these young people to a life without hope and alienated from our community. I do see an important role for me, as a local member, to listen to the concerns of the community, but also to advocate for the need for rehabilitation and opportunities into the future.
A “robo phone poll” conducted across properties in Werribee, Werribee South and Point Cook by Bernie Finn found that more than 90 per cent of the 4113 respondents opposed the youth prison being built in Werribee South. The poll also revealed that more than 71 per cent of Labor voters would “definitely” change their vote at the next election. Are you concerned that you could lose your seat over this decision?
People vote for a variety of reasons, and I hope they vote on the effectiveness of a local member to represent and deliver for the community. And if that’s the case, I think I’ll stand on my record.
You have been invited to a community meeting in Werribee on Monday night to meet and chat with residents about the facility. Will you be attending?
I’ll look at it, I haven’t seen any invitation. Certainly, it is my intention to attend information sessions that the government runs. I’m not sure that I’m necessarily going to attend every meeting any particular group sets up, but I will be available for public discussion, scrutiny.
The State Government media release put out on Monday mentions scope for future expansion – exactly how big could the facility get in the foreseeable future?
It would simply be for the purposes of adding additional beds.
What does this development mean for the future of the East Werribee Employment Precinct?
Absolutely nothing, it will have no effect whatsoever. This is not in the East Werribee Employment Precinct plan… most of the work that is currently the subject of the Australian Education City proposal is between Hoppers Lane, Princes Highway, Sneydes Road area.
What is happening with the Wyndham justice precinct?
We will need accessibility to the justice system for young offenders in the detention facility to have in the near vicinity, an improved justice precinct. That means improved court systems, court facilities, and of course, improved provision of our policing capacities around our Werribee police station, which is already slotted for an upgrade.
Last time I checked, there was still some discussion between council and the state government about where that location will best be. I think the land in and around the Werribee Police Station seems to make best sense.
