The Victorian Government’s decision to reopen the decommissioned Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre is a desperate and dangerous move that exposes the complete collapse of its so-called “law and order” strategy.
‘This is not strategy, it’s panic. After bringing in new bail laws that scoop children off the streets and into custody, the government has realised it has nowhere to put them. Now, in a shameful display of short-term thinking, it plans to warehouse young people in a derelict facility it previously deemed unfit for purpose,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘If this government had a real plan for community safety, it would be investing in keeping young people in their communities, in their schools, and in their homes, not reopening abandoned cages. Rebuilding an old youth prison is not smart policy. It’s a cruel and unimaginative one,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘The National Network is calling this what it is: a desperate government clinging to punishment because it has run out of ideas,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘Every dollar poured into Malmsbury is a dollar stolen from community-based programs that actually work, education, housing, healthcare, and support for families,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘It is time for the Victorian Government to start thinking outside the cage, to be brave, bold, and visionary enough to build a future where no child is locked away. Our young people deserve life-affirming pathways, not recycled punishment,’ said Tabitha Lean.
‘Prisons are not places of safety or “rehabilitation.” They are violent institutions that strip young people of their futures. The reopening of Malmsbury is not just a policy misstep, it is a moral one,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
For further comment, please contact Debbie Kilroy on 0419 762 474 or Tabitha Lean on 0499 780 226
