Corrections Minister Elise Archer has finally bowed to overwhelming community pressure and announced a new Northern Prison will not be located at Westbury.
While the final decision is yet to be made, Westbury residents who love the Brushy Creek Reserve will today be allowing themselves to breathe a sigh of relief.
It is surprising and welcome news that the Government is looking at the location of the proposed northern prison site.
I'd like to ask you about the proposed Westbury prison and explore what your agency's recent engagement with the Commonwealth has been.
Corrections Minister, Elise Archer, confirmed the government is seeking to find an ‘offset’ for the Westbury Reserve in order to build a prison on the site.
The Westbury Prison site in a nature reserve, is hugely problematic.
Reports of illegal woodhooking of live trees on Westbury Reserve are extremely concerning.
The Minister repeatedly denied the presence of threatened values on this site until the Premier last week confirmed they do exist.
New right to information documents show the federal government has been demanding Tasmania give legal conservation protection to the reserve.
After a year of denying Westbury Reserve has any environmental values, it was welcome to hear Premier finally recognise the site has “sensitive natural values”.