NSW Department of Corrective Services

LETTER TO CESSNOCK STAFF

Dear Staff Member

I am writing to every individual staff member of Cessnock Correctional Centre.
I can understand the uncertainty that staff at Cessnock may be experiencing.
I can assure you Cessnock will be contracted out, despite claims circulating in some
workplaces to the contrary.
The Government has approved the entire Way Forward Workplace Reform Package
which includes the contracting out of Cessnock and Parklea Correctional Centres.
I quote from a recent interview on ABC Radio between our new Minister, the
Honourable John Robertson MLC and announcer Richard Glover John Robertson:

… “I’m simply going to tell you that in Corrective Services
there are a whole series of reforms that needed to be
implemented, one of which is private sector involvement at
two out of 30 jails in NSW.”
… “This isn’t about some union strategy or just breaking the
union strategy, it’s about implementing reforms that need to
be implemented in these two prisons.”
… “and one of the first questions I asked the Commissioner
was about jobs, because the Government is committed to
protecting jobs and the Commissioner has assured me that
any prison officer who wants to retain a job in Corrective
Services will have the opportunity of doing so – or,
alternately, if they want to transfer across they will be given
that option as well.”

The tendering process is on track and I expect that Cessnock will come under contract
in July/August 2009.
If you elect to remain with the Department the guarantee that no staff member need
lose their job still stands.
I repeat, your options are:
•

move to another location within the Department.

•

apply for a position with the successful contractor - with salary maintenance for
twelve months. Note: If you elect this option, you will be required to resign from

Henry Deane Building, 20 Lee Street, Sydney NSW 2000 GPO Box 31 Sydney NSW 2001 Tel: 02 8346 1333 DX:22

the Department and you will be paid out any recreation and long service leave
entitlements.
•

apply for a Voluntary Redundancy.

You are in a different situation to staff at Parklea Correctional Centre in that you may
have to relocate if you elect to remain with the Department.
I can assure you I will approve any reasonable request for officers’ entitlements under
the Transferred Officers’ Award.
I can also assure some staff, especially those staff with children at school, that they can
start moving earlier rather than later.
Please take advantage of the buses being provided by the Department to visit preferred
locations.
You can email me personally if you think you have a special case for consideration.
You will receive a prompt response.
Changes are continuing with a plan to shortly open the Outer Metropolitan MultiPurpose Correctional Centre at Windsor. This Centre will initially hold 250 minimum
security inmates, however the profile will change as demand requires.
I will continue to keep you informed personally on a regular basis.
Yours sincerely

RON WOODHAM
Commissioner
17 February 2009

Henry Deane Building, 20 Lee Street, Sydney NSW 2000 GPO Box 31 Sydney NSW 2001 Tel: 02 8346 1333 DX:22