The Julia Creek Work Camp has been highly commended in the ’leadership’ category of the 2016 Premier’s Awards for Excellence.
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Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan said the award highlighted the valuable contribution that prisoner work camps, run by Queensland Corrective Services (QCS), made to many communities.
“The Julia Creek Work Camp was recognised for its work following a train derailment in 2015, where 31,500 litres of highly dangerous sulphuric acid was spilled out on to the ground just east of Julia Creek, closing off the main rail and road corridors to west Queensland,” he said.
“Julia Creek Work Camp prisoners were brought in and worked tirelessly for many hours to help bring this extremely serious situation under control.
“Prisoners from the Julia Creek Work Camp toiled side by side with workers from Queensland Rail, McKinlay Shire Council, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, and the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.
“The prisoners worked long hours helping to erect barricades and constructing two easements that enabled access to the disaster site. They then assisted as limestone was used to cover the acid spill.”
Minister Ryan said he was delighted the Premier had recognised the efforts of the Julia Creek Work Camp prisoners.
“It is a great honour for the Julia Creek Work Camp to receive a Highly Commended Award in the Leadership Section of the 2016 Awards,” he said.
The QCS Work Program is one of the most successful prisoner rehabilitation schemes in Australia.
Work Camps were founded as part of an emergency response effort to help the people of Charleville clean up and rebuild their community after devastating floods in 1990.
Today, the QCS Work Program runs 13 camps throughout Queensland.
These are in Warwick, Springsure, Clermont, Blackall, Mitchell, Charleville, Dirranbandi, St George, Innisfail, Boulia, Julia Creek, Winton and Bowen.
“The Work Program provides regional communities with a valuable source of labour,” Minister Ryan said.
“Projects centre around community need, with prisoners undertaking work the local council or non-profit organisations would otherwise find difficult to complete.
“And, as was the case last year near Julia Creek, Work Camp prisoners often roll up their sleeves and provide essential assistance during times of emergency and natural disaster.
“In 2015–16, prisoners on the QCS Work Program completed 176,487 hours of community service. This equates to approximately $4.2 million worth of highly-valued labour for regional Queensland.”
