Prisoners transfer to Bunbury

Prisoners from Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison will be transferred to the new unit at Bunbury Regional Prison in January, despite recent building defects causing more than 40 cells to close.

Last week the WA Prison Officer’s Union revealed about 40 cells in the new unit were closed one week after the official opening due to a water leak, which destroyed the cells’ emergency alarms.

The union said the construction of the new wing was a “rush job” given the rising pressures of WA’s prison population.

The leak was caused by incorrectly installed windows in 48 cells, of which 42 had been fixed last week and the rest were expected to be completed this week, according to the Department of Justice.

Last week the department announced a unit at Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison would be temporarily closed when prisoners were transferred to the new unit at Bunbury.

Prisoners originally from Perth or other parts of the State will be transferred to the new unit.

“Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison has a number of prisoners that are not from the area who can now be more appropriately managed at other prisons that are closer to country or their original place of residence,” Corrective Services Minister Tony Hassall said.

“This is happening at prisons throughout Western Australia, which have been housing prisoners based on bed availability, rather than what is most appropriate.”

The prisoners will be transferred in January.

Remedial works at the Bunbury unit, expected to be completed this week, will be undertaken by the contractor at its expense.

Some prisoners were moved to other cells while remedial works were carried out.