Call to stop private prison plans
3 July 2018
Greens MP Michael Berkman has condemned Labor’s announcement today to effectively open a new private women’s prison run by human rights-abusers Serco at the former men’s prison Southern Queensland Correctional Centre near Gatton.
“I am calling on Queensland Labor to immediately drop this outrageous plan to open Queensland’s first ever private women’s prison.
“Labor are putting some of Queensland’s most marginalised women, the vast majority of whom are mothers, into the hands of infamous human rights abusers Serco.
“Recent appalling revelations of runaway sexual and other violence at private men’s prison Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre should be more than enough evidence that privatising prisons is dangerous.
“Everyone knows privatisation does not work. If Labor go ahead they will be trashing their election promise of no more privatisation.
“Building more cells and opening more prisons will never fix overcrowding.
“Providing adequate economic security, good healthcare, education and social services for disadvantaged groups at risk of criminalisation is more effective than locking people up.
Media contact: Abe O’Neill 0439 758 860