Wyndham councillors have unanimously backed the community in their opposition for a planned youth detention centre at Werribee South, branding the decision “an absolute insult to the people of Wyndham”.
At last night’s council meeting, the council formally opposed the $288 million high security youth prison on social, economic and environmental grounds.
Councillors were scathing about the state government’s decision and lack of consultation, with new councillor Mia Shaw going as far as to say she would fight Labor at the next state election if the government did not reverse its decision.
“Given the level of community concern, this example of outdated decide, announce, then defend decision making process is just not good enough, and I and this community should not stand for, or accept this,” Cr Shaw said.
“I put on notice any member of parliament, or aspiring MP – you may think that this is a safe seat, and that we can be treated with contempt, but I believe this community has had enough, and may just react to this decision at the polling booth at the next state election.
“If this decision is not reversed, I will personally be campaigning to ensure Wyndham is no longer a safe Labor Party seat.”
Fellow councillor Peter Maynard said the council and community had been “treated much like mushrooms by both levels of government and fed something that rhymes with twit and kept in the dark”.
“There is no point in consulting with this community after the decision has been made,” he said.
“Residents are quite understandably outraged, and we are tired of being the dumping ground for less desirable development.”
Many of the councillors, including Tony Hooper, questioned what impact the youth detention centre would have on projected employment numbers for the East Werribee Employment Precinct.
“It appears Melbourne’s west has been shortchanged thousands of new jobs as a result of the youth detention centre going to this site.
“It’s an absolute insult to the people of Wyndham that the state government would backflip on their own plans without consulting the community.
“What does this say about the future of East Werribee? What commitment do we have that even the 60,000 ongoing jobs overall in that area will be honoured now that we know the youth detention centre is earmarked for the site.”
Cr Josh Gilligan said next to the existing Port Phillip Prison would be a more viable location.
Wyndham chief executive Kelly Grigsby will meet with state youth affairs minister Jenny Mikakos this Friday to seek further information and clarification regarding the development.
Meanwhile, a “robo phone poll” conducted across properties in Werribee, Werribee South and Point Cook by western metropolitan region MP Bernie Finn found that more than 90 per cent of the 9113 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.
“There’s not shortage of places to put [the youth detention centre] – why they’ve chosen Werribee South is one of life’s great mysteries,” Mr Finn said.
