New prisoner graffiti clean-up task force now in action across Darwin.
Territory prisoners have clocked up more than 100,000 hours of community work worth nearly $3 million in less than a year.
Chief Minister says Territorians expect public spaces to be well kept and the prisoner workforce will achieve that while making sure offenders can give back to the community while they are in custody.
Territory prisoners have clocked up more than 100,000 hours of community work worth nearly $3 million in less than a year.
A new graffiti clean-up taskforce, part of NT Corrections Community Support Work Program (CSWP), is now operational across Darwin, helping restore public spaces while providing meaningful rehabilitation opportunities for prisoners.
CSWP crews have supported more than 25 major events in the previous year through site preparation and clean-up activities.
Darwin work parties have maintained 465 lawns per month and collected 9,570 kilograms of green waste in August. While Alice Springs teams maintained 1,012 lawns, including 202 for pensioners, during the same period.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro and Minister for Corrections Gerard Maley joined Corrections staff and the taskforce in Palmerston to assist with graffiti removal from a problem graffiti area near Gateway Shopping Centre.
The Chief Minister said the initiative would help keep communities clean while ensuring offenders contribute positively to the Territory.
"The taskforce is now operational and will undertake regular graffiti cleaning right across Darwin and Palmerston," the Chief Minister said.
"Territorians take pride in where they live, and they expect public spaces to be clean and well kept. This workforce will help achieve that while making sure offenders can give back to the community while they are in custody."
Minister for Corrections Gerard Maley said Community Work Parties were delivering significant benefits to the Territory across a range of services.
"Community Work Parties provide services across the Territory, from graffiti clean-up to mowing lawns and supporting emergency recovery efforts, as we saw in Alice Springs this month," Minister Maley said.
"In less than a year, Community Work Parties have contributed more than 100,000 hours of work, representing an estimated $2.735 million in value to the community."
Assistant Commissioner, Operational Reform Bodie Green said the program played an important role in preparing prisoners for life after custody.
"The Community Support Work Program is an important part of the reintegration journey.
"These work parties are about far more than completing practical tasks. They provide valuable mentoring opportunities, with Correctional staff leading by example, building positive relationships and having healthy conversations that can lead to behaviour change.
As the Territory moves through the higher-risk weather season, crews will remain on standby to support preparedness, response and recovery efforts during significant weather events.
CSWP teams have a strong track record of assisting emergency operations, working alongside the Northern Territory Emergency Service, local councils and the Australian Defence Force. During preparations for Tropical Cyclone Narelle, crews filled 925 sandbags in Katherine and a further 1,700 in Alice Springs to help protect the hospital and surrounding homes.
Following the March 2026 flooding in Katherine, 20 prisoners were deployed to assist with clean-up and recovery, demonstrating the positive contribution offenders can make while giving back to the community.
