Prison workers across New South Wales have walked off the job in protest over plans to close two more maximum security wings at the Goulburn Correctional Centre, located approximately 200 kilometres southwest of Sydney.
Strike Impact on Police and Inmates
The industrial action could have significant flow-on effects, with police potentially forced to hold individuals who have been refused bail in their own cells. Opposition Corrections spokesman Anthony Roberts called on the government to negotiate, stating, "The government needs to come to the table and negotiate in good faith with these prison officers who do a phenomenal job in the most difficult of circumstances." He added, "The minister needs to meet with prison officers urgently to rectify this matter."
Government Response
Corrections Minister Anoulack Chanthivong assured that there would be no job losses resulting from the closure of the heritage wings. "Goulburn remains a proud prison town and that will not change. No staff member will be forced out of a job, and there will be no forced relocations or redundancies," he said.
Chanthivong defended the decision, stating, "The decision to retire Goulburn's Victorian-era wings is the right one. These facilities are outdated, unsafe and no longer fit for a modern correctional system. Keeping these wings open would mean asking officers to continue working in conditions that independent experts have said should be phased out. That is not in the best interests of staff or inmates."
The strike highlights ongoing tensions between prison staff and the state government over workplace conditions and infrastructure upgrades.
