- The Crisafulli Government opens the new Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre, which has started to receive its first prisoners.
- More than 800 frontline officers have been employed at the new centre.
- Delivers on the Crisafulli Government's commitment to restore safety, boost capacity and deliver the Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre after a decade of decline under Labor.
The Crisafulli Government has officially opened the new Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to restore safety where you live.
The new state of the art high security centre has received its first intake of prisoners from correctional centres across South-East Queensland, with capacity to house more than 1,500 prisoners.
The LNP first funded the business case for a new Lockyer Valley facility in 2014, and the announcement follows the Crisafulli Government's record $2.256 billion investment in Queensland Corrective Services and is part of our plan to make Queensland safer.
The former Labor Government failed to deliver the critical infrastructure needed to keep the community safe, with a $267 million blowout on the project that caused secure prison capacity to skyrocket to nearly 150 per cent.
When fully operational, the Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre will offer tailored programs to address criminal behaviour and promote rehabilitation of prisoners – it will include educational and vocational training, mental health support, and substance abuse treatment, all aimed at fostering positive change and reducing the likelihood of reoffending.
More than 800 officers have been employed at the centre including custodial correctional officers, psychologists, social workers, and occupational therapists, making Queensland Corrective Services one of the largest employers in the region.
Minister for Corrective Services Laura Gerber said the new centre would enhance both community and officer safety.
"We are fortifying our defence against crime and setting a new benchmark for public safety in Queensland," said Minister Gerber.
"The opening of this new correctional centre today will also help alleviate capacity constraints within our existing facilities and reduce demands on our dedicated correctional staff.
"Our correctional officers are vital to restoring community safety and reducing crime and this new facility equips them with the tools needed to intervene, rehabilitate, and break the cycle of crime."
Member for Lockyer Jim McDonald said delivering the new prison had unlocked hundreds of jobs for locals in the area.
"In a major boost for the local economy, the new Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre has injected more than 800 jobs across a variety of fields including correctional officers, psychologists, counsellors and other professional staff, all who play a key role in protecting community safety.
"Frontline officers need a fit-for-purpose environment if we are serious about rehabilitating prisoners, and this new facility will equip them to perform at their best."
Queensland Corrective Services Commissioner Paul Stewart APM said the Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre was designed with the latest security technologies to ensure a safe working environment for officers.
"We are proud to open the Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre. Our focus is not only on maintaining security but also on providing our officers with the tools they need to rehabilitate the people in our custody," Commissioner Stewart said.
"This centre will play a crucial role in our mission to reduce recidivism and make Queensland a safer place to live."
