Hobart prison sourcing meals from Victoria after floor fault shuts $19m kitchen

Meals for hundreds of Tasmanian prisoners are being sourced from Victoria due to the forced closure of a brand-new kitchen, according to the union representing correctional staff.The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) said the $19.8 million kitchen and bakery at the Risdon Prison Complex shut down on July 10, just three months after officially opening.A spokesperson from the Department of Justice has said the cost of remediation work would fall to the building contractor as the issue was discovered during the defects liability period.CPSU organiser Adam Gore said he understood the closure was related to issues with the kitchen's flooring being laid with the "incorrect mix of aggregate"."The floor is not up to the required standard for wear and tear in a commercial kitchen that sees 850-odd people fed every day," Mr Gore said."One of the other issues they've had is the floor hasn't been draining correctly, which … doesn't allow the water to flow out to the drains."Adam Gore said the imported meals could cost upwards of $90,000 a week. (ABC News: Jake Grant)Due to the old kitchens having also been decommissioned, staff have had to source an external contractor from Victoria to provide the daily meals for prisoners, which Mr Gore warned could cost upwards of $90,000 each week.He said the situation had caused "a lot of stress" for workers, with details surrounding the length of the rectification works being unclear."One of the difficulties is not knowing what is happening, when it is happening and a lack of communication," Mr Gore said.The union organiser said that, as of last week, equipment within the kitchen had not yet been removed to allow re-flooring works to begin.The average number of inmates at the Risdon Prison Complex was 841, between July 2025 and March 2026.A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said an issue "with the slip resistance of the flooring" in the kitchen had been identified and "alternative arrangements were in place to maintain essential food services for prisoners and detainees".They said the kitchen was expected to be operational once the remedial works were completed.'Contemporary' kitchen promisedThe state government committed funding to the construction of the new kitchen in October 2024, to replace the aging cooking facilities at the Ron Barwick Prison built in the 1970s.It was suggested the new kitchen would be a "contemporary and modern" facility that would provide a safe environment for up to 70 inmates to undergo training and work experience.Risdon prison's commercial kitchen caters for about 840 inmates. (Custodial Inspector Tasmania)The construction reached practical completion in January 2026, with the project being handed over to the Tasmania Prison Service for operational commissioning.Minister for Justice, Corrections and Rehabilitation Guy Barnett visited the site alongside his predecessor Madeleine Ogilvie, with both posting updates on social media.Mr Barnett said the kitchen would allow inmates to prepare up to 1,000 meals each day, while Ms Ogilvie said she was "super proud" of the project.The kitchen then entered full operations in early April, according to the CPSU, before it was shut down less than 100 days later.Tasmanian Liberal politicians Madeleine Ogilvie and Guy Barnett (right) posted updates to social media about the new facility. (Facebook: Madeleine Ogilvie)Staff warned of issues, union saysMr Gore said multiple staff members had flagged concerns with the Tasmania Prison Service about the new kitchen during the planning and construction process.He said those concerns included operational readiness, staffing levels, workplace safety, security arrangements and the practical operation of the facility."Staff want to see the best outcome at all times and often they can see a way forward," Mr Gore said."If they were just listened to, a lot of problems would be avoided." The new kitchen was commissioned to replace the aging cooking facilities at the prison, built in the 1970s. ( ABC News: Luke Bowden )The union organiser said staff should be commended for ensuring prisoners continued to receive meals "without any disruption", avoiding what he described as a potentially "flammable situation".Labor MP Jen Butler, the Shadow Minister for Corrections and Rehabilitation, said the situation raised serious questions and she sympathised with affected workers."The Liberals need to come clean about how much it is costing each week to ship meals for 1,000 prisoners to Tasmania, and how much will have been spent to fix the kitchen cock-up," Ms Butler said.The Department of Justice and Mr Barnett were contacted for comment.