Grafton Correctional Centre Stage 2 Design & Construction

I believe a wholistic approach is vital to recovery and rehabilitation in correctional centres, so as to minimise re offending and helping to break the cycle of crime. Wholistic meaning the physical, emotional, spiritual & mental health of the individual.
Meaningful daily work eg. growing & maintaining vegetable gardens & tree planting & garden maintenance would be beneficial. A well stocked library with a range of books including self help, nutrition for good mental & physical health, Bibles & spiritual health books. Social & recreational facilities, as many have been socially withdrawn, lonely & abused. Regular counselling visits are an important part of rehabilitation.Suggest limited use of medication for mental health, except when absolutely necessary. Provision of natural therapies to assist with depression & anxiety, rather than medication.

Being a retired Prison Officer, I welcome this New Correctional Facility to our region. It was a very dark day for the local economy when the original gaol ( where I was employed for many years) ceased to operate. The Clarence Valley and surrounding region can now look towards increased prosperity and employment opportunities for many years.

I live very close to the jail site. RES 2
I have only just looked at the pics provided for the Buffer Zone
I don't like it.
It closes our view to nothing but a wall of trees.
And due to the size and how close it is to my house it would present me with the problem of snakes. We have not had much problem with snakes previously as the paddocks were kept clear and grass was short.
My request was that the trees be put closer to the jail to retain as much as possible of the current outlook as my house was built to look over that paddock.
I stated from the start that safety is our priority.
For myself as a single person with children.
The view matters, but isnt such a high priority to us.
So, I request that the money would be better spent on safety features for my house to help keep us safe from any unwanted visitors. IE: Entry, Crim Safe Screens/Doors and safety glass, reinforced door jams/locks etc.

We are writing to you in regards to the proposal to upgrade and redirect the power lines down Reilleys Lane at Clarenza/Glenugie for the power supply required for the running and construction of the newly proposed goal.

Firstly, I would like to express my disappointment with the lack of direct notification to my family and I about the planned works that directly affect all Reilleys Lane residents. I hope that from now you and your team could be more forth coming with any information regarding any changes affecting our neighborhood.

As residents of Reilleys Lane we strongly object to any upgrades of existing power lines and also to the installation of any new lines. This decision has come after consulting and talking with all the residents in our street and researching the proposed works and the effects it has upon our lifestyle and living situations.

Although we are objecting to your proposal we are open to options and possible compensation options that could result in a fair decision for all involved.

We have listed below the concerns we have in regards to this matter followed by a list of options.
Concerns
- Destruction / clearing of natural vegetation
- Property access during works
- Road congestion/delays
- Dust/noise pollution levels
- Power outages
- Changes to the street scape
- The potential for upgrades in the future
- Possible `humming' from the lines
- Family and livestock security/wellbeing (health issue?)
- Decreased property values

Options
- Choosing alternate route
- Making the new goal self-sufficient with solar/wind power
- Placing all existing and new lines underground
- Re-surfacing Reilleys Lane with bitumen

In summary, we acknowledge that the new goal will require a power supply of some sort and that you are researching options, however please consider the community whom supports you and lives in this beautiful region. We and our neighbors would appreciate your consideration to our concerns and contact us with any future developments in regards to any decision making/changes to this matter.

Concerned CLAY A BRIERLEY 0438 151 979
KYLIE M HINDMARSH 0405 225 417
188 REILLEYS LANE CLARENZA NSW 2460

Submission:
We are "Directly Adjoining Neighbours" (DALN), to the West of the proposed site. We run beef cattle - cow calf operation on this property and use the public road to the North of the Site (DP 751376) - off The Avenue as our "only access" to this property.

The proposed site along with our neighbouring property is zoned "Rural" - we object on the following basis with over arching theme that the proposed site is in a rural zone as a neighbour:
i/ impacts agricultural activities - refer below right to farm.
ii/ impacts on rural land scape and character - irreversible through building an operational phase.
iii/ a correctional centre and working farm is not compatible - clearly a direct conflict - again refer right to farm.
iv/ increased demand on public services - namely The Avenue North.

We consider the following factors need consideration:

1/ Right to Farm:
We object to the DA and intend to operate our farming system in the "normal / business as usual" operation and consider the proposed site far too small and from diagrams on the EIS stage 2 Summary very small distances / buffers for such activities. These activity of normal farming includes but are not limited to:
a) movement of cattle / trucking and walking between other paddocks along The Avenue,
b) movement of machinery including tractors and attachments along The Avenue. Local traffic has traditionally been limited and very respectful of stock / machinery movement e.g giving way / speed etc however, highway bi pass has seen both an increase in the traffic plus at times disrespect for local traffic and activity - this is risk to both man and livestock (cattle horses / cattle dogs). Movement of stock / machinery occurs all year round - however in times of flood this is enhanced.
c) spraying for noxious and poisoning weeds.
d) spraying cattle for parisites.
e) control of feral animals including wild dog / fox / rabbit etc and includes shooting and at times baiting.
f) controlled burning / both dead after storms and weeds control etc.
g) fertilising etc.

Please note that the buffer to the western boundary was not articulated in the EIS page viii (East / North & South was however page 24 refers to 240m distance of building to Western boundary - please confirm as 240 will potentially impact normal farming activity).

2/ Consultation - Appendix 25 EIS.
a. Lack of consultation - we have not been consulted with, in fact the first consultation has been after our gate on our Eastern Entrance was chained and padlocked - chain / padlock has been removed since but this is not the behaviour of neighbours.

b. Error - the June EIS (appendix 25) states that DALN 2 had been consulted - this is not true and we would like this to be noted and corrected. This is our first opportunity to provide feedback.

3/ Access
We access via the dirt track to the north - this needs to be upgraded for additional traffic (e.g fire control) and dead timber along track removed. We note Fire access track is planned along perimeter of APZ (page 44) - can more detail of such track be provided - e.g standard (all weather) / location (on Road to the North etc).

4/ Fencing
It is expected that cattle proof fencing be maintain in normal neighbour arrangement 50 / 50.

5/ Effluent and Waste water treatment - we question why would a facility be built and not connected to the town / regions system ?

We hope planning takes into consideration key flooding / high rainfall events - usually summer low pressures (ex cyclones). The value of production (cattle - beef and dairy / fishing etc) from down stream creeks / low country (swamp) is significant and we cannot afford chemical spill / effluent overflow into either Glenugie Creek / Coldstream system.

6/ Traffic on "The Avenue" North of entrance to proposed site. It appears that nil improvement is planned for this road including width / levelling etc and that "staff / contractors" will be encouraged to use other routes - how will this be monitored. Likewise visitor traffic etc needs to be managed once operational.

7/ Land values - land values will be impacted from a demand aspect with respect to impacting agricultural business activity.

8/ Second correctional centre - 2 facilities in the town (& close proximity) of the size of Grafton seems out of alignment with towns of similar population. What other areas - and with lesser agricultural value were considered ?

We appreciate the opportunity to make a submission as an immediate neighbour.

I would like to make the following submission which comments on the New Grafton Correctional Centre EIS, I have listed 8 points below, I request a response to these 8 points.
I am making this submission as a local landowner & resident directly & adversely effected by the construction & operation of the Goal.

1) The EIS is published online in 92 separate documents, this makes reviewing the document very difficult. I have specific interests & require to search for keywords this has been made very difficult.
Many of the residents effected by this development do not have the skills or resources to consider the document in this form. They have been effectively excluded from the process. There are many ways this document could have been made available as a single document it is disappointing that as part of public consultation, the effort was not made.

2) In the document New Grafton Correctional Centre Stage Two Environmental Impact Statement Summary June 2017. page 2 footer states an incorrect URL as a source for the impact statement, it is difficult to understand how this could have happened with even the most cursory of proofing. This again frustrates public comment on the document.

3)Throughout the document, many In house John Holland documents are cited, John Holland refuses access to all of these documents. This lack of transparency makes informed comment impossible.
It is appreciated that some documents would need to be kept confidential but this carpet embargo on all documents is inappropriate. Documents relating directly to the community should be available to the community. To invite comment without transparency appears insincere & is insulting to the community. Being a PPP project the consortium has no FOI or GIPA responsibilities, this allows the consortium to operate without any public scrutiny.

4) EIS information sessions were held at Grafton, Yamba & Woolgoolga. No session was held in the area surrounding the project this again makes informed comment difficult. Alarming that the people most directly effected were ignored. Yamba & Woolgoolga markets are tourist events, Yamba & Woolgolga will not be impacted by the project why would dislays be held here?

5) The EIS states that expected affect on land values would be minimal & quickly recover. People purchase property here exclusively for the lifestyle & environment, the development will have a huge impact on the number of prospective purchasers & what they are prepared to pay, the project will have a huge impact on land values. The EIS drew its conclusions from discussions with local real estate agents. These agents have a vested interst in the land values bein as high as possible, they are not in any way independant. An independent expert valuer should have been consulted.

6) The EIS compares the NGCC with the existing Goal, stating that Grafton has had a Goal for 120 years with little impact. Residents around the existing goal purchased property there knowing there was a goal already there & they took benefit from the lower real estate prices, depressed because of the goal. The existing goal is in a suburban environment. It is inappropriate to draw parallel between the two they are totally different.

7) Locally one of the most frequently expressed concerns is visitor behavior.
The conclusion reached in the EIS is both counter intuitive & historically inaccurate.
The conclusions conflict diametrically with actual community experience. It is alarming to considerer how such conclusions could have been reached with a thorough, prudent methodology.
Rather than address a real community concern the EIS trivialises the concern.

Local residents of Grafton & surrounds are long aware of the visitor behavior around the old grafton Goal, that included
Frequent violent incidents at the Albion hotel
It is reasonable to presume that similar behavior will occur at Wooli Hotel
Theft , vandalism & assaults at nearby businesses specifically the Butchers shop & Albion service station.
Theft, vandalism & assaults at Grafton hospital to both the hospital property, staff & visitor vehicles, harassment of staff & patients
Local residents were fearful of walking in their neighborhood & they were concerned for the security of their property. There were many confronting incidents
Police records would confirm, frequent call outs to the Albion Hotel
The owners of the Hotel, service station & Butcher could be interviewed.
Long term local residents could verify their harassment.
Hospital records & staff interviews would provide a true picture of the environment that surrounded the old Grafton Goal.

Previous Mayor Shirly Adams campaigned for increased police presence in the area, this would be indicated in council minutes.
The local newspaper the Daily Examiner would have many articles in it's archives.

8) The most important single environmental concern is the survival of the local emu population, little mention is made of proposed actions in the EIS.
The greatest threat to the emu is death to the bird particularly chicks from motor vehicle impacts. The huge increase in traffic volumes though the birds habitat threatens the survival of the bird.
Efforts must be made to preserve this species. Indications are that this is being ignored.
Yours Sincerly
Raymond Todd
PO 1266
Grafton, 2660

I object to the New Grafton Correctional Centre being built.

INSW should be spending money on more schools and community facilities that will teach children, their parents and grandparents how to be a worthwhile contributor to the community. It is cheaper to educate than to incarcerate. Stop the cycle of crime by investment on prevention not punishment.

Privatising gaols is just dumb. They don't work. According to some of my research the private gaols are being dumped in other countries for various reason--mostly health and safety to the guards and inmates (club fights and contraband inside the gaol).

The policies sending people to gaol need an overhaul. People who are addicted to drugs and alcohol need to be in a rehab hospital that keeps them there until they are cured of the addiction and not in gaols. People who are never convicted of a crime or found guilty should not be kept in gaol. Bail laws have become so tight that people are in gaol who shouldn't be.

The site on Avenue Road for the NGCC should never have been selected. There was no consultation. The new Pacific Highway and new Grafton bridge spent years consulting the community about options and feasibility. The site on Avenue Road, Lavadia (Glenugie) was NOT on an original idea on any list of options. The council had a list of places they owned that were overlooked. Those council owned sites would have had fewer problems and costs with hook up to water, electricity, sewer etc. Connecting all these infrastructure facilities out to Avenue Road is costly and means clearing more corridors much to the disapproval to more landholders and wrecking habitat for flora and fauna.
There was no consultation! INSW and Northern Pathways should not be able to get away with that!
The gaol site on Avenue Road has significant meaning to Aborigines- yet Holland Construction Co. is going ahead with bulldozing and fences this very minute without caring.
Holland and Serco do NOT have a good record for honesty and morals. Holland (cutting corners no doubt) has asbestos (from China no doubt) in a Children's Hospital in WA. How can we trust them not to cut corners or that they will abide to Australia's construction laws?
Some Serco private gaols around the world that have been reviewed and found to be treating the staff and the inmates in a manner that is unhealthy and unsafe.
The 2nd EIS has noted that we directly affected local landholders will experience negative impacts as a result of the NGCC. Light, noise, traffic, property value,agriculture activities, loss of peace and quiet,loss of personal safety and farm safety and a negative impact on sensitive eco-systems. Also its looks are going to be abominable compared to the view we have now without it.
I object that Holland is going ahead with work and they haven't got all the permits to do so.
I object to the new Grafton Correctional Centre (state gaol) being built.
Sarah Fletcher, Affected Landholder, 247 Wants Lane, Glenugie, NSW

As a resident of 195 Avenue Road Glenugie, I would like to submit some positive and constructive improvement ideas for our community. Without prior consultation, the Department of Planning and Infrastructure NSW chose our rural community as the location for a 1700 bed correctional facility despite there being no power or water to support such a facility.
Now through no fault of our own we have had to undergo a series of changes. Our area has gone from a private and quiet rural setting with very little traffic, to a very busy, noisy and unpredictable main thoroughfare right at our front gate. This will continue to deteriorate as the facility gets up and running.
With work already well under way on the corner of Eight Mile Lane and Avenue Road, (southern end) the first issue is the amount of trees cleared from the Avenue. I would like to see the area regenerated with fast growing screening trees so that in three years' time, we have a barrier from noise and light. For residents who wish to have an extra barrier between their properties and the road, trees should also be planted inside their fence line to further screen from noise, light and for privacy.
Another suggestion is that residents from this community be employed by the facility first and foremost, as this will certainly assist in shoring up support from them. Not just in the construction phase but also on-going employment within the facility.
I would also like to know if you can guarantee that the Avenue will be the main access road to the facility. To make the best of the situation, I have considered investing in a business that may profit from the passing traffic. Can you also guarantee that there will be no on-off ramp from the highway to the facility for the convenience of transporting inmates? If so, can residents have access to this ramp?

As a long-term resident of Reilleys Lane, the proposed high frequency power line construction has extreme socio-economic and environmental impacts for the property, home owners of Reilleys Lane. This proposed construction of power lines along Reilleys Lane Clarenza, is deeply disturbing to local residents. The flora and fauna will suffer extreme disturbance, due to the tree/land clearing that will be required for construction of the proposed power lines. The remaining remnant bush is home to listed threatened species such as the brush tailed phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa (of which we have photographic and anecdotal evidence). Other species reliant and residing in the extensive spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) forest along Reilleys lane include; bandicoots, sugar gliders, goannas, water dragons, grey kangaroos, echidna, wedge tailed eagles and many wallabies. Snakes, including pythons, red belly black snakes and eastern brown snakes are also resident along the lane. The bird habitat is extensive and includes king parrots; rosellas, coucal pheasants, wrens, sulphur crested cockatoo, kookaburras, lorikeets, honey eaters, native quail, diamond doves, willy wagtails, swifts and many more native bird habitat/nests. Flora species include old established spotted gum present for hundreds of years, which provide shade and habitat for the fauna. There are also tuckeroos, wattle and ground cover species for smaller native animals. It is naïve to state there are no listed threatened fauna and flora species along the lane (as per impact statement), and we are considering hiring accredited consultants to ascertain listed threatened fauna and flora species that reside in the proposed impacted region. Reilleys Lane is a microcosm of a unique natural environment that is encompassed by large agricultural tracts, a veritable oasis of refuge for animals and plants that have been removed from much of the surrounding local area. We, as residents have chosen to live in Reilleys Lane for the very values that will certainly be destroyed if the power lines are to be constructed. As deeply concerned residents, we don't want high frequency power lines, tree removal and the flow on effect on the surrounding environment. This proposal is threatening to impact immeasurably on our native wildlife and plants, on our homes and lifestyle, property value/resale potential, long term effects of traffic and the proven adverse health effects (a UK study found that children who lived close to high voltage power lines at the time of their birth (within 200 m) had a significantly higher (1.69 times higher) chance of developing leukaemia than those who lived further away) of high frequency power lines to humans and native animals. To be informed that we will be potentially surrounded by' and living with hideous and hazardous high frequency power lines, go against all the reasons we live here. This is not to mention the long-term health impacts; for which we will certainly be seeking legal advice with a view to conducts possible lawsuits against the state and listed proponents of the project. The negative media response should also be considered when proposing to irreversibly impact a small rural lane all to power a 2000 resident maximum security gaol. Rest assured that we will fight this proposal and urge strong reconsideration of Reilleys Lane as a possible site for the proposed power lines. It is concerning to local residents that the NSW government is prepared to lose more environmental credibility to allow a consortium (Northern Pathways comprising Serco, John Laing, John Holland and Macquarie Capital) to construct of all things, a $450 000 000 gaol and infrastructure at the expense of families, native wildlife and plant communities. Yours Sincerely On behalf of the residents of Reilleys Lane, Mary-Anne Cole 218 Reilleys Lane Glenugie, NSW, 2460

Acknowledgements of the elders past and present,

To whom it may concern,

We Yaaringay are a family company, formed to protect our heritage and cultural ancestry. Being indigenous and born locally as our grandmother her grandmother before her and so on, we are from a strong blood line of traditional people, our family live from the swamp with native birds on the menu regularly, only men go to the swamp because ceremony grounds are near by on proposed prison premises (there is said to be 4 bags of stones yet to be unearthed on site). Observations tell me artifacts could be walking off the premises already.
Ceremony ground should NOT be unearthed for multiple reasons- # ceremony grounds give meaning to the landscape and support beliefs as they are all interwoven it's culture.
# your disturbing the spirit of ancestry # this interferes with Dreaming- collectively # it's disrespectful- like destroying a temple.
# it's mens area -no women allowed
# upset county (Makes people sick)
# tormenting for staff (suicidal tendencies) # you unsettle the earth- it's a curse # guaranteed trouble on premises.(100%) # deceratition for incarnation is bad karma.

Seriously did someone do this as a joke?
Is this common practice to build Gaols on ceremony grounds?
The budget was for 600 beds why all the changes?
Is this government protocol?
What is the total footprint,. I mean the total footprint?
Are you people aware of the damage already caused ?
Are public aware some advertisements of meetings were incorrect?
How did this become Yaegel country it's suppose to be part of the Gumbaynggirr Nation?


From white people point of view- If a person was to sit and read all the research, they would almost be crazy...the land was acquired by compulsory acquisition by Mayor Williamson (great). Did the land owners have any warning? all seems a bit suspicious to us what was wrong with the acmena. That was the plan remember ? In the beginning there would of been heaps of objections, I'm guessing that if they knew exactly what to say in the first place- they would of said it rather than just making a so called comment, the neighbours would NOT be happy, lots of locals wouldn't be happy. The animals wouldn't be happy. Has the DA been approved? because it shouldn't be.
NIGHTIME-There are different species of nocturnal animals that are in the zone of destruction some are rare and endangered. Koalas, few types of bats, gliders, spotted quolls, different owls, possums and types of frogs, geckos and a lot more. A rare and favourite night animal is the phascogale. The glow of light created by the Correctional Centre is astronomical and would effect all of these animals.
DAYTIME-Birds like honey eaters, bee eaters, fly catchers, the speckled warbler, tree creepers, varied sittella are some our father has shown us as children telling us they live there, emu, rare storks, bettong, Kites and Eagles are also at risk in daylight plus the travelling or visiting birds like the Brolga, nesting or migrating we have seen them and we haven't even mentioned flora.

With all due respect this is an objection being submitted asking for a change of venue and we feel it is necessary, It is our opinion that the Correctional Centre needs to be placed near Acmena Juvenile Justice Centre making 3 gaols in one, where there is no swamp and the airport is no where to be seen or heard (as where there is a will-there is a way). Not only that bright lights are at Acmena area already and nature has part prepared for any Justice Centre extensions and that most were lead to believe that would be the plan.

This is a serious objection to the New Grafton Correctional Centre PLEASE reconsider location for the good of everyone.

Thanking you
Yours Yaaringay

see attached

Attached below is my objection.

Submission submitted as attachment.

Hi
please find my uploaded attachment of my submission

regards

Winston

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