Labor to reopen youth prison two years after shutting it down
As of August this year, 128 Victorians under the age of 18 were either in prison or in custody.
Opposition youth justice spokeswoman Nicole Werner said the reopening was a clear failure of the government and would come at a huge cost to taxpayers.
Riot police attend an incident at Malmsbury Youth Justice Center in 2017.
Credit: Paul Jeffers
“This is evidence that the Labor government is in a panic because it has lost control of crime and has no solutions to make Victorians feel safe,” Werner said.
“Labor can’t manage money, they can’t manage crime, and Victorians are paying the price.”
When Malmsbury closed in 2023, it put 240 staff jobs at risk. Some were reassigned to Parkville and Cherry Creek youth justice centers, but others were laid off. Approximately 114 staff will be rehired to manage the centre; This process could take up to six months, according to government estimates.
Jiselle Hanna, Victorian secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, which represents prison guards, said Labor needed to make sure the center was properly resourced to protect both staff and young prisoners.
“We will be monitoring closely to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated and that our members’ industrial interests are represented,” he said.
Jiselle Hanna, public sector union secretary.Credit: Penny Stephens
“It’s not as simple as reopening the plant. The government needs to invest in decent working conditions to retain skilled staff. If jobs are not safe, sustainable and worth staying for, people leave. This loss hurts everyone.”
Malmsbury has previously been marred by a number of high-profile incidents, including attacks on female staff, riots and escapes.
Melissa Hardham, chief executive of West Justice Community Law Centre, said reopening was bad policy and the government should focus on early intervention to reduce youth crime.
“What we really need to do is see this earlier in this young person’s experience and look at the root causes of the problem in the first place,” he told ABC Radio.
He said putting people in prison causes a higher rate of recidivism.
Crime figures released by the Independent Crime Statistics Agency in June showed Victoria was experiencing record levels of crime. Crime is becoming a major political debate ahead of the November 2026 elections.
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