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Rockhampton prison expansion to create 170 jobs: Palaszczuk

Felicity Caldwell

Crime will pay in central Queensland - at least in the sense of creating new jobs.

The Palaszczuk government will bring forward approval of a $200 million expansion to the Capricornia Correctional Centre to ease prison overcrowding and create more than 170 jobs.

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Premier visits central Queensland

Annastacia Palaszczuk unveils a $14 million redevelopment for Rockhampton on Monday while addressing allegations of union corruption. Nine News

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the project to provide an extra 164 cells at the centre was endorsed at the cabinet meeting in Rockhampton on Monday.

Member for Rockhampton Bill Byrne has previously said a business case was being prepared in late 2016 for an expansion by 244 cells.

Ms Palaszczuk hinted about a "major jobs announcement" for the region on Monday.

Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan said the jail was at 124 per cent capacity as at December 30, 2016. 

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"The expansion will deliver additional accommodation that was planned when the centre was originally designed, to be built when additional capacity was needed," Mr Ryan said.

The Capricornia Correctional Centre is 20km north of Rockhampton and provides facilities for male prisoners on remand, reception and sentenced offenders, with a capacity of 498 people.

It has secure and residential accommodation for high security prisoners and a farm complex for low security prisoners.

Ms Palaszczuk said the project would create 100 jobs to the central Queensland region during construction and more than 70 ongoing jobs after it is commissioned, in addition to indirect jobs from keeping the prison running, including food and other service providers.

"The best way to avoid prison is to obey the law," Ms Palaszczuk said.

She said Mr Byrne had championed the business case for the expansion as Corrective Services Minister in 2016. 

The expansion will also deliver infrastructure for more prison industries, car park expansion and upgrades to waste water, mechanical services and electronic security systems.

Planning for the project has begun and work on site will begin in November 2017. 

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