State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell and state Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland have called the closure short-sighted in the wake of new bail reforms.
On Wednesday, March 12, Premier Jacinta Allan announced the new Tough Bail Bill, which aims to help reduce the amount of reoffenders out on bail, toughening the tests for bail in a move that will put community safety first.
The bill is due to be debated in parliament on Tuesday, March 18.
Ms Lovell said recent reporting found that former Victoria Police chief commissioner Shane Patton submitted a proposal to strengthen bail laws, that was then rejected by the Victorian Government due to cost and lack of prison beds available.
She said the closure of Dhurringile Prison reduced capacity within Victoria to move prisoners throughout the system, leaving fewer beds available.
“Shane Patton sounded the alarm, but instead of listening to his warnings, Premier Allan showed him the door,” she said.
“It’s clear the prison closure was extremely short-sighted.
“Victoria now has fewer prison beds, and has to let repeat offenders out on bail because it has run out of space to keep them on remand.”
Ms Cleeland said Victoria’s prisons were already at capacity, and with the new reforms expected to tighten laws, she said the government must reconsider the closure of Dhurringile Prison.
“The closure of Dhurringile Prison was a short-sighted move by a government more focused on politics than community safety,” she said.
“We have witnessed a troubling rise in crime across our region, including increased vehicle thefts and aggravated burglaries.
“With the impending bail reforms set to tighten laws and potentially increase the prison population, retaining Dhurringile Prison is not just sensible but necessary.”
Ms Cleeland also questioned whether enough beds would be available in Victorian prisons, suggesting reopening Dhurringile could be the solution.
“Concerns remain over the state’s capacity to house low-risk offenders, and selling this asset now would be an irresponsible move that undermines our justice system’s capacity to function,” she said.
“Should this government fail to recognise the site’s value as a facility for low-risk offenders, they must listen to local residents to ensure the site is used in a way that still benefits the community.”
The shock closure of Dhurringile Prison in August last year saw 160 people lose their jobs, with the closure also impacting the local community.
The Dhurringile Revitalisation Committee will hold a community meeting on Thursday, March 20 from 7pm to discuss the future of the site at the Dhurringile Community Hall.
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