Between February and September, officials made six trips to the manufacturing site, at a total cost of $71,079. The trips related to supply chain inspections, due diligence and quality assurance throughout the manufacture and dispatch process.

Corrections says quality issues identified during the trips were “typical of the types of issues that occur in large-scale construction work of this nature” and had since been addressed.

Corrections chief custodial officer Neil Beales said quality issues identified included design changes, standardised work quality across the units and other matters relating to finishing.

The company tasked with delivering the units – Australian company Decmil – recently encountered quality issues with the Manus Island refugee processing and detention centre it delivered to Papua New Guinea for the Australian government.

Decmil has also carried out work for New Zealand’s Ministry of Education and the defence force.

In Budget 2018, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis announced Corrections would receive five modular units, providing an additional 610 beds for prisoners by December 2019.

In total, the modular units will provide 976 additional prison beds, at a total cost of $406.1 million.

Decmil was awarded the job through the open tender process under the previous government and extended by the current Government to deal with projections that showed the prison population was expected to continue to grow at a rapid pace.

Beales said Corrections still expected to receive the units by the end of next year. Continue to read the full article . . >