Council advocates for continued engagement after announcement of new prison site

Meander Valley Council will write to Attorney General Elise Archer and Department of Justice seeking information about planned consultation and the time-frames for the release of due diligence information relating to the Tasmanian Government’s new preferred site.

The decision to advocate for further engagement with the community comes after Council was delivered a petition calling for a public meeting about the previous proposed location for the prison.

“We have an obligation to ensure that petitions are compliant with certain legislative requirements and Council will not be progressing a public meeting about the previous site.

That said, the community needs more information about the new site. The petition confirms this need. We are committed to continuing to listen to all residents, particularly the owners of neighbouring properties and those who may not yet have had their say,” Mayor Wayne Johnston said.

Council met with pro and anti-prison groups in February, making a commitment to work with representatives from both groups to ensure everyone has equal access to consultation avenues.

“This commitment continues across to the new site - we want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to have their say in a respectful way. When we have more information from the Tasmanian Government, we will bring together community representatives to plan consultation and any work arounds because of COVID-19.

The need for more informed and equitable consultation is certainly something that was highlighted at the last public meeting and Council is focused on achieving this,” Mayor Johnston said.