Westbury needs prison jobs to avoid stagnation, say optimistic residents
Photo by Mike Moores
Surrounded by local residents who are opposed to the proposed Northern Regional Prison being sited at Birralee, those in favour found it difficult to voice their opinions at the December public meeting with Minister Archer.
By Sharon Webb
WESTBURY RESIDENTS who are in favour of the State Government’s proposal for a Northern Regional Prison on Birralee Road say it all comes down to one thing – jobs. According to Grace Rock, a full-time mother of three children, the prison is simply a business whose jobs will attract younger people to Westbury. ‘The jobs would attract a much younger population than the current average of 50 years,’ she said. ‘They will get mortgages and have children who will need activities, more doctors, hairdressers, another school, maybe a swimming pool and local PCYC. ‘Through jobs, younger people will be attracted here and stay here. It’s a project like any other. You can treat it as a disaster or an opportunity.’ Robert Anderson, a Westbury resident for 17 years, said the prison is the best thing to happen to the Meander Valley. ‘We’re not exactly busting for jobs in this area. Our kids must leave town to get jobs. ‘It’s appalling the number of people who’ve left Westbury and the number of businesses that have closed over the years.’ Kathryn Wynn, who has lived in Westbury for 17 years and commutes to Launceston to work, is in favour of ‘anything that would bring fewer empty shops, better parks and facilities’. ‘This is the opportunity for a tiny town to have the services they need – and they say no!’ she said. ‘I can’t see a downside.’
Leigh Watts, famed for being the only pro-prison resident to venture his opinion at the government’s prison public meeting, believes Westbury is in ‘desperate need of employment’ so that it can grow. ‘For us to have 250 jobs two kilometres down the road and lose that opportunity would be a tragedy,’ he said. ‘Not everyone working there would move to Westbury but even 10 per cent would contribute to its economic status without a doubt.’ Mr Watts, a Westbury resident for 30 years who runs an excavator business, pointed out towns such as Mathinna, Pioneer and Gladstone that were built on employment. Once the jobs disappeared, the towns died. ‘Westbury is stagnating. We need wage-earning families so we can get facilities such as banks again.’ Berris Atkins, a Westbury shearing shed hand and rouseabout working across Tasmania, also believes the prison will be good for Westbury.
‘It’s a great opportunity for employment, whether it’s in the initial stages or later. ‘Plumbers and builders may wish to live here, bringing their children. The prison is like any other business for people wishing to apply for the jobs, and the rates they pay to the council will benefit our facilities.’ Retired resident Kevin Olds who moved to Westbury two years ago agrees. ‘Since we arrived there’s been a heck of a lot of building here. House sales and land subdivisions are going gangbusters. Ultimately the prison will do some good for the place, bring business and revive it. It won’t destroy it.’ Pro-prison residents believe it won’t bring huge changes to the town and locals should take a positive view and get on with reaping the advantages
Leigh Watts gives the example of Brisbane’s prison at Goulburn, which he’s heard doesn’t get a lot of inmate visitors. ‘People will be in and out of town quickly to buy petrol or an icecream. ‘We have next to no tourism in Westbury – we have a lot of history but that’s about it. The history will still be here.’ Mr Anderson said 90 per cent of Westbury people to whom he’s spoken want the prison but many choose to say nothing because they’ve fallen out with friends and had heated discussions with others over it. ‘One old guy told me it was “déjà vu all over again” and when I asked why, he said it had been the same reaction when Tas Alkaloids was built.’ Kathryn Wynn believes rejection of the prison is mostly from regressive born-and-bred Tasmanians – ‘rednecks and hysterical lunatics’. ‘The hysteria is not based on anything I can see. I’m a mainlander by birth and I find second, third and fourth generation Tasmanians are fearful of development.’
