News
3 July, 2026
Goulburn Correctional Centre documents to be made available
Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman has vowed to continue fighting to save the Goulburn Correctional Centre as the date rapidly looms for closure of four Victoria-era wings at the centre.
Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman has vowed to continue fighting to save the Goulburn Correctional Centre as the date rapidly looms for closure of four Victoria-era wings at the centre.
A petition calling on the NSW Government to immediately halt the closures and to release all documentation underpinning its decision has received the 20,000 signatures it required – highlighting the depth of community feeling on the issue in the Southern Tablelands and further afield.
“This is huge,” Mrs Tuckerman said.
“For too long the Goulburn and Corrective Services communities have been left in the dark about how and why this decision was made by the Labor Government.
“Now we will get access to the internal documents, briefings and advice that led to the decision to shut down this critical facility.
“Make no mistake – this is about accountability,” Mrs Tuckerman said.
“I want to expose the bureaucratic process and decision-making that ripped jobs and certainty away from Goulburn.
“Goulburn – and our Corrective Services – will not be silenced and will not back down.
“This fight to save Goulbun Gaol is far from over.”
The Order for Papers was made in the NSW Legislative Council late last month by Liberal MLC Natasha Maclaren-Jones.
The Order was not opposed by the NSW Government.
They will be due by July 17.
Mrs Maclaren-Jones said approximately 170 prisoners would be relocated from the four maximum-security wings at Goulburn before the end of the year to other facilities in Junee and Clarence.
She said staff had been told there would be no forced redundancies or transfers as a result of the decision but the impact would be “significant”.
She said staff were not opposed to change but wanted to see evidence-based decision-making and genuine consultation.
She said there had been a number of “sensible” alternatives proposed for the site – including a specialised remand centre or a Corrective Services training and administration hub and these deserved consideration given the potential impact of the Government’s decision on workers and the broader Goulburn community.
As reported by The Southern Wire, Mrs Tuckerman was advised of the planned closures in March this year by Minister for Corrections Anoulack Chanthivong – giving workers just six months to consider their options.
Mr Chanthivong said closure of the four wings – opened in 1884 – was part of a reform program “that focuses on housing inmates in areas that meet modern requirements and support the safety and well-being of staff and inmates”.
Mrs Tuckerman said the decision had been received “very poorly” in the Goulburn community – particularly given it is one of the region’s largest employers.
She said the decision to close four operational wings rather than invest in refurbishment or investment “raises serious concerns”.
“Modernising and refurbishing or replacing existing wings would meet safety and well-being objectives without sacrificing operational capacity or regional employment,” she said.
The recommendation to close the four wings has been on the table since 2022 when it was first made by Inspector of Custodial Services, Fiona Rafter.
She said the maximum security area at Goulburn was “difficult to maintain and operate and would be impossible to refurbish to a satisfactory standard”.
Major changes are also being planned for the Silverwater Women’s Correctional Centre in Sydney.
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