MEDIA RELEASE 20 JULY 2000 Unanimous decision: No more women prisoners Justice Action today called on the NSW Minister for Corrective Services, Bob Debus to abandon plans to build a new women's jail at Windsor after the Upper House Select Committee on the Increase in Prisoner Population called for a moratorium on women's cells. The Committee received one hundred and thirty eight submissions from a range of individuals and organisations. "Only one submission supported the building of the new jail and that was from the Department of Corrective Services. This clearly shows their intention to take money to build their empire despite the system's failure. The community is now saying we want schools, hospitals and better social support not more jails" said Kilty O'Gorman, spokesperson for Justice Action. "We call for the unanimous recommendations of the committee, including the wider use of social solutions to be immediately implemented" said Brett Collins, spokesperson for Justice Action. "If Minister Bob Debus does not respect the unanimous recommendations of the Committee he is effectively negating the process of wide community consultation and logical decision outside of the law and order rhetoric" said Kilty O'Gorman of Justice Action. "Prisons have failed. They are horrendously expensive both in monetary and social terms. Now it is up to Mr Debus to ensure the community-based options are utilised" said Brett Collins of Justice Action. For further comment please contact: Brett Collins 0414 705 003 or Kilty O'Gorman 9281 5100 justice ACTION PO Box 386, Broadway, NSW 2007 Ph: 02 9281 5100 Fx :02 9281 5303 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.justiceaction.org.au -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink