News
4 May, 2026
MP vows to fight for Goulburn community
Federal Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain has promised to support the Goulburn community in its fight to save the Goulburn Correctional Centre.
Federal Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain has promised to support the Goulburn community in its fight to save the Goulburn Correctional Centre.
As reported by The Southern Wire, the NSW Government has announced plans to close four Victorian era wings at the Correctional Centre in September and to relocate maximum security prisoners elsewhere.
Members of the Prison Officers Vocational Branch (POVB), which falls under the umbrella of Public Services Association (PSA), say the decision will result in the immediate loss of 170 jobs.
Mrs McBain – who is also the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories and the Minister for Emergency Management – was unable to attend a rally in Goulburn last Thursday due to prior commitment but sent a message read by Goulburn-Mulwarree councillor Liz McKeon.
In the letter, Mrs McBain thanked people for attending the rally and for making their concerns heard “loud and clear across the community and directly to the NSW Government”.
“Your concerns are understandable and as your Federal representative I will continue to represent your views clearly to the NSW Government.”
However the MP’s message did not sit entirely well with members of the POVB.
Mrs McBain said in her message that it was “important to acknowledge that staff should not be required to work in facilities that are aged, unsafe or no longer fit for purpose”.
“Staff deserve safe, modern infrastructure that reflects current standards. Ignoring that reality would be irresponsible”.
One senior POVB official said he was “sick to death” of hearing that conditions at the Goulburn Correctional Centre were unsafe and that he would “respectfully disagree” with his local MP on the issue.
Mrs McBain said she had recently met with NSW Minister for Corrections Anoulack Chanthivong “to raise the concerns expressed by many across our community” – particularly in relation to job losses.
“I also made the point to the Minister that we do not want to see any forced relocations out of the area.
“Goulburn is home for much of the workforce. Generations have called this place home, generations have worked in Corrective Services and some have made deliberate decisions to move their lives to Goulburn to take up positions with Corrective Services.
“We do not want to lose any of these members from our community.”
Mrs McBain said it would be important for members of the Goulburn community to engage in a six-month consultation process announced by the NSW Government “and I intend to do that to ensure your concerns”.
“My focus will be to continue to represent the views of Goulburn and on making sure the community has access to clear and timely information.”
--------------
The Southern Wire Newsletter is now here! Subscribe for free at the link below.
https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/1986abc6-c89e-4781-9db2-cf35c9dd71e4
If you value independent local journalism across the Highlands, Tablelands and Wollondilly, please click the link below to support us as we are paywall free.
Read More: Goulburn, Southern Tablelands