New Aussie youth prison site changed due to community backlash
Source: Xinhua   2017-03-15 08:58:49

SYDNEY, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The site of Victoria's new youth prison has been moved further west after community outrage over the proposed location.

Premier Daniel Andrews bowed to community pressure after residents and local councils in South Werribee protested the proposed 217-million U.S. dollar "supermax" prison, saying it would be too close to homes and tourist attractions.

The facility will instead be built in Cherry Creek, further west of Melbourne, with the change in location not expected to change the project's budget or timeline.

Jenny Mikakos, Victoria's Minister for Families and Children, said the new site had a 2-kilometer buffer from any homes in the area.

"I acknowledge there were people in the local community not happy with the original site," Mikakos told reporters on Wednesday.

"We have listened to this community and we think this is a win for the local community."

The government released the original plans for the new prison in Werribee South in February after a series of violent riots at existing facilities.

Thousands of angered residents protested against the proposal, threatening that if it went ahead then Treasurer and Member of Parliament (MP) for Werribee Tim Pallas would be voted out at the next election.

Opinion polls published after the announcement of the new prison showed that Pallas would receive just 26 percent of the vote, half of what he received at the last election.

Pallas said the facility would now be built on land acquired from Melbourne Water.

"We have worked closely with Wyndham Council to identify an alternative site that meets the needs of the community and also the detailed criteria for the site outlined in the business case," Pallas said.

Joe Garo, a Werribee South resident, said he was relieved that the government had listened to the people and had seen common sense.

"We were happy they were prepared to listen," Garo told News Limited on Wednesday.

"The first site was just ridiculous. It was the worst place in Wyndham."

Editor: ying
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New Aussie youth prison site changed due to community backlash

Source: Xinhua 2017-03-15 08:58:49
[Editor: huaxia]

SYDNEY, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The site of Victoria's new youth prison has been moved further west after community outrage over the proposed location.

Premier Daniel Andrews bowed to community pressure after residents and local councils in South Werribee protested the proposed 217-million U.S. dollar "supermax" prison, saying it would be too close to homes and tourist attractions.

The facility will instead be built in Cherry Creek, further west of Melbourne, with the change in location not expected to change the project's budget or timeline.

Jenny Mikakos, Victoria's Minister for Families and Children, said the new site had a 2-kilometer buffer from any homes in the area.

"I acknowledge there were people in the local community not happy with the original site," Mikakos told reporters on Wednesday.

"We have listened to this community and we think this is a win for the local community."

The government released the original plans for the new prison in Werribee South in February after a series of violent riots at existing facilities.

Thousands of angered residents protested against the proposal, threatening that if it went ahead then Treasurer and Member of Parliament (MP) for Werribee Tim Pallas would be voted out at the next election.

Opinion polls published after the announcement of the new prison showed that Pallas would receive just 26 percent of the vote, half of what he received at the last election.

Pallas said the facility would now be built on land acquired from Melbourne Water.

"We have worked closely with Wyndham Council to identify an alternative site that meets the needs of the community and also the detailed criteria for the site outlined in the business case," Pallas said.

Joe Garo, a Werribee South resident, said he was relieved that the government had listened to the people and had seen common sense.

"We were happy they were prepared to listen," Garo told News Limited on Wednesday.

"The first site was just ridiculous. It was the worst place in Wyndham."

[Editor: huaxia]
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