Wooroloo prison officially named Acacia Prison

29/5/99
Justice Minister Peter Foss today officially named Western Australia's first 21st century prison at a ceremony in the eastern Darling Range.
The 750-bed medium security prison has been named 'Acacia' Prison in recognition of the number of varieties of acacia which are found in the Wooroloo area, where construction of the prison is about to start.
Mr Foss, Works Minister Mike Board, local members of parliament, representatives of the Shires of Mundaring and Northam, Wooroloo-area residents, Government officials and executives from the companies that will build and operate Acacia, planted an avenue of 24 acacia trees beside the access road to the prison.
Mr Foss, whose electorate includes the prison site, said the State Government chose the name on the recommendation of the 11-member Community Reference Group formed to give people living in the area a voice in the planning and construction of the prison.
"Acacia Prison is the largest construction project in the area's history and will have an impact on the community," he said.
"Because of this, we have kept the community closely informed and have sought its input from the earliest stages of planning. The local people wanted a say in naming the prison so, through the Reference Group, they were encouraged to drive the process."
Mr Foss said the choice of the prison's name reflected the community's deep environmental awareness.
"Through the Ministry of Justice, the Government has completely overhauled prison philosophy and standards, introducing a four-cornered policy of custody, care and well-being, reparation and rehabilitation," he said.
"By deciding to appoint a private operator under contract to the Ministry of Justice, we are gaining access to new practices and programs in each of these areas which we can apply throughout the prison system.
"The Government remains in complete control, but the community will benefit from the new approaches and greater efficiency that will result from a mixed public/private system.
"The taxpayer will get improved value for money and a state-of-the-art prison but, more importantly, the evidence from mixed systems elsewhere in Australia and overseas is that rates of reoffending can be significantly reduced.
"The change of direction signalled by Acacia will deliver real progress in the fight against crime, and is another initiative to complement the State Government's Safer WA strategy."
Acacia, being built by a consortium of Corrections Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd and Transfield Pty Ltd, is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2000.
Media contact: Chris Morris 9321 2222