TRENT GILBERT COUNTRY LABOR CANDIDATE FOR

CLARENCE
For Immediate Release

GOVERNMENT BACKFLIP MUST SEE GRAFTON GAOL

FULLY FUNCTIONAL ONCE AGAIN
Friday 9th January 2015

Country Labor candidate for Clarence Trent Gilbert has called on local National MP
Chris Gulaptis to make Grafton Gaol fully functional once again, following the
announcement that the government is building demountable prison cells to cope with
increased prisoner numbers.
In 2012, the Liberals and Nationals decided that the Department of Corrective
Services, along with the people of Grafton, no longer needed the Grafton Gaol to be
a fully functioning facility, Mr Gilbert explained.
Now, only two and a half years later, the same Liberal National government that
closed the Parramatta, Kirkconnell and Berrima gaols, and significantly downsized
the function of our local gaol, has had to find extra capacity.
Chris Gulaptis and his governments short-sighted decision to effectively mothball
the Grafton Gaol not only cut local jobs, it put enormous strain on our state-wide
corrections facilities. Now theyre coming to realise their original policy was botched
and needs reversing, so Gulaptis needs to get those jobs back and apologise to our
community.
With an expected rise in prison numbers, and the NSW Governments realisation
that prison capacity across NSW will need to be increased, it is imperative Chris
Gulaptis demand Grafton gaol be returned to full function.
If the Grafton Gaol is not fully re-opened under their new plan, Gulaptis and his
government will have to explain why they have neglected our community yet again,
concluded Mr Gilbert.
Ends.
Media contact:
Trent Gilbert
0423928674