Pardelup Prison Farm re-opened

An 84-bed prison farm will be re-opened at Pardelup today as part of the State Government's delivery of additional accommodation for Western Australia's prison system.

Pardelup Prison Farm was changed to a 20-bed work camp under the previous Labor government in 2002.

Corrective Services Minister Christian Porter said the prison farm would provide many great services to the local community, operating as a viable farm providing valuable mutton and beef to other prisons in line with the Department of Corrective Services' focus on self-sustainability.  Its blue-gum plantation operations would also be retained.

"Prisoners housed at the farm will have the opportunity to learn valuable work and social skills including farm and maintenance work; gardening; TAFE education; cleaning; and work in the local community," Mr Porter said.

"We already have nearly 40 projects lined up within the Mount Barker and surrounding area for the prisoners to assist with.

"The prisoners housed at the farm will be given important job-related and social skills programs to assist them in making the transition back into the community upon their release."

The Minister said that in line with the Government's strong law and order agenda, providing better rehabilitative programs to prisoners was a priority.

"The Government has focused on providing appropriate work skills, education and rehabilitative programs to offenders within the prison system - increasing program delivery by 45 per cent in the 2008-09 financial year alone," he said. 

Pardelup Prison Farm will house minimum-security male prisoners, who would go through a rigorous assessment process to ensure their suitability for placement at the facility.

"Importantly, the re-opening of Pardelup will create an additional 64 beds to help ease overcrowding in the State's prison system and makes full use at low cost of a previously under-utilised Government asset," Mr Porter said.

"These 64-beds are in addition to the 600 beds the Government has already added to the system since May 2009 and they form part of our commitment of $655million to add 2,297 beds by early 2015."