Prime Minister Helen Clark (centre) tours the new Otago Corrections Facility with Prison Manager Jack Harrison (right).
The new Otago Corrections Facility in Milburn, South Otago was officially opened by the Prime Minister the Right Hon. Helen Clark on 10 May.
Corrections Chief Executive Barry Matthews says the opening of the 335-bed Otago Corrections Facility (OCF) is an important milestone for the Corrections Department.
"OCF is deliberately designed quite differently from traditional prisons. It incorporates features that are intended to be the most effective in terms of safety, security and rehabilitation; and to provide a better environment for our work."
"Building this facility has been the equivalent of constructing a small town. The fact that the project has been delivered on time and is tracking to budget is a great achievement."
Corrections Minister Hon. Damien O’Connor emphasised that while OCF is a world-class facility, it has "no bells or whistles". "It is designed to do two things: keep the community safe and help reduce re-offending by providing prisoners with every opportunity to rehabilitate themselves," he says.
OCF has been one of Otago’s largest construction projects and one of the region’s largest employers.
"Many local contractors have been employed on the site, and we’ve had a great local response to our recruitment campaign for the new facility. Moving forward, OCF wants to be a good neighbour and a good employer for the region", says Barry.
Clutha District Mayor Juno Hayes commented that the development of the prison has been a positive experience for the community.
"The project has brought a lot of economic benefits to the region, and we’re looking forward to working with OCF on an ongoing basis," he says.
The first prisoners will arrive on the site in June and the facility should be operating at full capacity by the end of the year.
Prisoners will help to operate a 400-head dairy farm within the prison, which will give them the skills to eventually help fill the region’s dairying skill shortage.
OCF is the third of four new corrections facilities to open. The Northland Region Corrections Facility has been operating successfully since March 2005. Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility opened in June 2006 and the Spring Hill Corrections Facility in North Waikato is under construction and is due to open later this year.
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