CLP unveils emergency response for Corrections

21 October 2024

The CLP Government is taking decisive action to address the urgent need for increased correctional capacity across the Northern Territory.

Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Corrections, Gerard Maley, today announced immediate measures to tackle the crisis.

"Labor has left us with a corrections crisis across the Territory,” said Mr Maley.

“For eight years, they ignored the growing problem, doing nothing as our prisons became overcrowded and overflowed into police watch houses. The CLP is ending the excuses and making the tough decisions necessary to fix this mess.”

The CLP has developed an urgent three-step plan that provides immediate relief to overcrowded prisons while committing to long-term infrastructure solutions.

These steps will enable the implementation of effective rehabilitation strategies, which are essential for reducing re-offending and making our communities safer.

"We cannot break the cycle of repeat offending while Corrections and Youth Justice are in crisis. Labor had eight long years to address this disaster, but after just eight weeks in office, the CLP Government is delivering a decisive plan to confront these challenges head-on," Mr Maley added.

The three-step plan includes:

Step One: Immediate action to reduce overcrowding by creating additional beds and returning police watch houses to their intended use.
Step Two: Expanding long-term capacity with new, modern infrastructure for both male and female prisoners.
Step Three: Focusing on rehabilitation, education, and skills training to address the unacceptably high rates of recidivism.

The Plan includes:

Immediate conversion of the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre at Berrimah for temporary use by up to 50 low-security adult male prisoners in December, adding 200 beds by March 2025. The centre is scheduled to close in December 2026, with the land repurposed for residential development.
A new secure women’s facility at the Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre, providing 48 beds by January 2025.
Expansion of the Alice Springs Correctional Centre with a new 96-bed modular block.
Development of new work camps in Darwin (150 beds) and Katherine (50 beds) by Q4 2026.
Construction of a new 150-bed multi-classification women’s prison at Holtze by September 2028.
New youth justice boot camp and bail facilities in Katherine and Tennant Creek.
Alice Springs Paperbark facility repurposed for up to 16-bed youth boot camp and bail facility.

This plan will increase adult correctional capacity to 3,000 beds by 2028.

"Community safety is the CLP Government's top priority. We will resolve the corrections crisis left by Labor, allowing us to then address the unacceptable recidivism rates,” Mr Maley said.

“Once prisoners are moved out of police watch houses, we will implement the 'Sentenced to a Skill' program for youth offenders and expand the Prison Industries and 'Sentenced to a Job' programs, alongside compulsory community service and alcohol and drug rehabilitation.”

Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley praised the initiative, stating: "The Corrections Master Plan is an investment in critical infrastructure that will allow Corrections to expand capacity and services in both the short and long term.”

“This plan enables Corrections to function as an integrated Territory-wide network, addressing prisoner numbers, reducing re-offending, and improving community safety,” said Mr Varley.

The prison population has grown by 18 per cent in the past two years, significantly outpacing projections.

"As of September 2024, the NT’s adult correctional facilities are at full capacity, and prisoners are being housed in police watch houses, which presents operational risks," said Mr Varley.

Mr Maley added: "There have been numerous warnings about capacity issues in our prisons, which the previous Labor government chose to ignore. Our plan not only tackles these issues but will also improve working conditions for Corrections and Youth Justice staff, as well as the conditions for prisoners."

See the Corrections plan by clicking the button below.

Corrections Plan

Media Contact - Kyrrie Blenkinsop – 0461 385 914

Northern Territory Government