News
4 May, 2026
No scaremongering says Tuckerman
Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman has strongly denied allegations that Thursday’s rally in Belmore Park about the future of the Goulburn Correctional Centre was part of a political scaremongering campaign organised by her office.
Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman has strongly denied allegations that Thursday’s rally in Belmore Park about the future of the Goulburn Correctional Centre was part of a political scaremongering campaign organised by her office.
The rally was attended by hundreds of people including correctional officers, Public Service Association (PSA) officials, residents and representatives of the local business community.
NSW Minister for Corrections Anoulack Chanthivong has been quoted as saying the rally was based on “mistrust and misinformation”.
“If people choose to go, obviously, that’s a decision for them,” he told a regional news outlet.
“What I would say is, don’t be misled by misinformation and mistruths from the local member who’s drumming this up as part of a political scaremongering campaign.”
Mrs Tuckerman said the Minister’s comments clearly demonstrated he was out of touch with the issue or the impacts of the closure of four Victorian-era wings at the correctional centre on the broader Goulburn community.
“If only he (the Minister) talked to the PSA, staff and community members about the intent of the gathering he may have known that the event was a rally organised by the PSA,” Mrs Tuckerman said.
“Yes, I was more than willing to support the community and helped get the message out by organising an event on my Facebook page at the request of the PSA, local correctional workers and their families.
“It just shows to me the lack of interest shown by the Minister and the Minns Labor Government,” she said.
Mrs Tuckerman said two NSW Government Ministers had visited the region last week – Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully and Ministerfor Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley.
“Neither of them bothered to show up to the rally, and I bet neither of them reached out to corrections officers, their families, the mayor or businesses to discuss the impact (of the planned closure),” she said.
Speakers at Thursday’s rally accused the government of making a decision before announcing a six-month consultation period – primarily with correctional officers and not with the broader community.
Goulburn-Mulwaree Mayor Nina Dillon and president of the Goulburn Chamber of Commerce Josh Matthews both estimated the economic impact of the proposed closure on the regional economy at between $10 million and $30 million a year.
Minister Chanthivong has also been quoted as saying the impact on Goulburn’s economy would be “minimal”.
Shadow Minister for Corrections Anthony Roberts has called on the NSW Government to abandon any plans to ‘scale back’ the Goulburn Correctional Centre and instead commit to protecting local jobs and expanding the site as a “major corrections, rehabilitation and law-and-order training hub for New South Wales”.
Mr Roberts said Goulburn had been a cornerstone of the state’s correctional system since 1884 and should be strengthened for the future – not “quietly diminished”.
“As Shadow Minister for Corrections and having held the Counter-Terrorism portfolio in Government, I know how serious decisions about this site need to be.” Mr Roberts said.
“The answer is not to run Goulburn down. The answer is to build it up.”
Mr Roberts said the Government’s first obligation must be to the workforce.
“These correctional officers and their families cannot simply pack up and move,” Mr Roberts said.
“They have mortgages, children in local schools and deep ties to the Goulburn community and their jobs must be protected and grown – not used as a line item in a budget exercise.”
Mr Roberts reaffirmed the Liberal and Nationals’ position that the ‘Supermax’ must remain at Goulburn whilst the broader site should be expanded across minimum and maximum security, Corrective Services industries, education and training.
“The Supermax stays,” he said. “That is non-negotiable.”
“At the same time, this site should expand its minimum-security capacity, refurbish educational and vocational facilities, grow Corrective Services Industries and better prepare suitable inmates for life after custody through real work, real skills and real discipline,” he said.
“Transferring suitable inmates from Long Bay (Sydney) to Goulburn would both revitalise the Goulburn Correctional Centre and assist the Long Bay transition.”
He said a NSW Liberal and Nationals Government would invest in Goulburn Corrections and utilise the proceeds of its proposal to transition Long Bay into a future housing development.
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