Construction of the expansion is set to begin in March 2018 with completion expected by 2020, weather permitting.

New jobs for locals (between 200-350 construction jobs and approximately 90-110 jobs when complete), a boost to the local economy, new programs for women and indigenous inmates, as well as further community infrastructure were included on the list of promises made by officials at an opening ceremony on February 16.

Speaking to the Argus, director custodial corrections for Corrective Services NSW Glen Scholes said the $126 million expansion not only covered the addition of the 440 beds, but also included the construction of two new buildings known as High Intensity Program Units (HIPUs) which have now been completed and commenced operating on February 16. 

“Those units are for addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs and for women - particularly with issues relating to domestic violence,” Comm Scholes said.

The new programs at the MNCCC are two of 10 programs being implemented across NSW.

Comm Scholes said $237 million dollars has been allocated towards getting the programs up and running to purely focus on reducing re-offending for both male and female inmates doing short term sentences.

“It’s a massive injection and something that has sadly been missing in the system for a long time and they’re expecting big things from it.”

Comm Scholes added that the jail expansion will have a significant impact on local businesses. Construction company Watpac (responsible for a number of construction projects along the Mid North Coast) will aim to recruit locally while the jail will also seek to recruit locals for new staff positions when the expanded project is up and running.

“Essentially we’ve got 350 contractors which will be working on site from March. Because Watpac has picked up the contract, it means a whole heap of local tradies and labourers will get an opportunity to be a part of the process,” Comm Glen Scholes said.

“But following the build, once it’s up and running we’ll have up to 110 additional full time jobs across administration, skilled labour, custodial staff and other services for which we will be very much targeting local trading where we can. That has been really successful here in the past and we’re going to continue that as part of our commitment to the community.

Comm Scholes said a recent community information session held by the MNCCC staff at the Kempsey Riverside Park saw in excess of 200 people register interest for jobs related to the jail expansion.

“That’s fantastic because if we can target those jobs for people in the local community - and they are good paying jobs - then essentially it gives an enormous boost to the local Kempsey economy.”

Comm Scholes noted the role inmates play in giving back to the community and flagged an upcoming project where inmates will build new infrastructure at the Kempsey Riverside Park.

“These projects are important because they allow that group of inmates, who are predominantly from this community to actually give back and have something they can be proud of. It also becomes a self managed area because, obviously, they don’t want anything to happen to something that they have put a lot of effort into,” he said.

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Past community initiatives inmates have been involved in include the Christmas charity food donation to help local kids and the construction and maintenance of the Clybucca memorial.