Closer look at prison work camp

DETAILED plans for a new prisoner work camp have been released showing how the development will be set up.

Toowoomba Regional Council plans to build a detention facility work camp on land at Nass Rd in Charlton.

The new location was chosen after push-back from the community forced the council to abandon plans for a camp in Jondaryan.

The proposal stems from community calls to use low-risk prisoners for a variety of labouring and maintenance tasks following the closure of the Darling Downs Correctional Centre in 2012.

The prison will house a maximum of 12 “low-risk prisoners”, none of who have been convicted or incarcerated for serious crimes involving rape, molestation, murder or other serious violent offences. The prisoners will also be prepared for their release in the near future.

Two Department of Corrective Services Officers will supervise and secure the prisoners at all times.

Other staff will include an on-site cook/chef. Prisoner duties will involve general maintenance of community facilities, including lawn mowing, maintenance and building and restoration works and similar labouring duties among farms and businesses with the region.

There are 13 permanent work camps located across Queensland, including nearby locations at Charleville and Warwick.

The perimeter of the complex will be surrounded by a 3m high security fence.

On site there will be three prisoner dormitory buildings, a training and recreation room, kitchen, officer accommodation, laundry, store room and two pergolas.

There will also be a workshop, a storage shipping container, two turfed recreation areas, a general outdoor storage area and visitor parking.

The plans have been met by community opposition including from Brad Deeth, who started a petition to stop the project.

He lives close by to the proposed prison and said he was concerned for the safety of his children.

He said although the council had undertaken some consultation, he knew of neighbours who had not been approached.

“In the past there have been people that have broken out of these facilities. They’ve walked out because it was open.

“I question how good their security is going to be.”

He said Nass Rd was the “stupidest place” to put the camp and questioned why it was not located near the Southern Queensland Correctional Centre.

“If someone did escape there is a gun club nearby and a service station where they can cash themselves up.

“It’s also a transport hub. They could break out at 1am and by 8am they’d be long gone.”