Risdon Prison in Hobart is set to receive a significant upgrade to its kitchen and training facilities, providing working opportunities for up to 70 minimum-security inmates.
The $19.8 million project is part of efforts to boost rehabilitation outcomes for those behind bars, Corrections Minister Madeleine Ogilvie said.
“Stable employment opportunities, such as employment in a kitchen, deliver greater benefits to prisoners who are transitioning out of custody having completed relevant intervention programs,” she said.
“We are creating a safe environment to practice learned skills, provide employment experience and trade training which can then lead into work release opportunities and transitioning back into the community.”
The improvements will also reduce manual handling risks with modern equipment and increase meal preparation capacity.
The new facilities will include dedicated training spaces, a move that could potentially open up opportunities for prisoners from the Mary Hutchinson Women’s Prison.
The upgrades are part of a broader investment in the state’s corrections system, including $15.9 million for improvements at Ron Barwick Prison and $38 million for a new Maximum Security Unit at Risdon Prison.
Ogilvie said Hansen Yuncken has been awarded the building contract for the new kitchen.
