When Dhurringile Prison closes on August 31, staff will have the opportunity to transfer into other prison roles, roles within the Department of Justice and Community Safety or Victorian Public Service, or to take a departure package.
“We know this is a difficult time for them (Dhurringile staff); they will be supported during this transition and be provided opportunities to take up new roles across the public service,” a Victorian Government spokesperson said.
“We want to thank our staff at Dhurringile for the vital work they do every day in keeping people in custody and the community safe.”
The site, established in 1877 as a homestead for a farm, was purchased by the government in 1965 and has been used as a men’s minimum security corrections facility for the past 59 years.
Victoria’s other minimum-security facilities for men, which, according to the government, have ample capacity, will continue to accommodate low-risk prisoners as they prepare to transition back into the community at the end of their sentence.
“This is about delivering a modern system — one that focuses on rehabilitation and sets our prison system up for the future,” the spokesperson said.
“We are delivering better facilities for people in custody, a safer working environment for our staff and a safer community for Victorians.”
The government spokesperson has not commented on the time frame for the decommissioning that follows the prison’s closure but said future use of the site would be considered in consultation with the community over the coming months.
What that consultation will involve remains to be seen.
The News asked readers on its Facebook page what they thought the site would be suitable for:
Steve Templeman: “With the rents rising so fast there will be a lot of pensioners and single people who will become homeless, so using it for accommodation for them would be a great idea.”
Wendy Jones: “Make it a tourist attraction.”
William Willis: “Agriculture learning centre... working dairy already there.”
Poppy Kathleen: “A shelter for the homeless or people struggling to overcome addiction... turn it into housing. Half of the prison is made up of portable units anyway; turn the place into temporary emergency accommodation. If there's people running it like the Melbourne shelters, the staff have minivans and buses that transport people to appointments, and it's managed on clients' needs. Family violence shelters, the women aren't always feeling safe, they transport the children to school and the mums to appointments. I know, I've spent years in these types of places, it can be done if the staff are dedicated enough and the Gov provides the funding. Salvos need to step in and buy it. The best shelters in Melbourne are the Queens centre for women and the Salvos run male shelters. If Salvos purchased this it would be the biggest in the state but would need to be run properly.”
Samuel Mehanni: “Another campus of GOTAFE.”
Jeanette Fry: “A rehab for drug and alcohol addiction. Everything is there. They can have their own bus to pick them up from the station. Some of the staff could stay. It would be perfect.”
Rhonda Fleming: “Leave it as it is, so 160 plus of us still have jobs!“
Jes Schmitke-Pollard: “Prison seems like a good idea...”
Scott J Cruzier: “You’re worried about the Dhurringile site, I’m sure it will be fine. What about the 160 local staff now out of work! You don't seem too worried about that.”