At least 420 inmates and 200 staff at an NSW prison will be moved to other facilities in the next week as the state’s mice plague continues to wreak havoc.
Corrective Services NSW Commissioner Peter Severin said the step needed to ensure Wellington Correctional Centre was “thoroughly cleaned” and infrastructure could be repaired. The mice have caused damage to internal wiring and ceiling panels.
“The health, safety, and wellbeing of staff and inmates is our number one priority, so it’s important for us to act now to carry out the vital remediation work,” Mr. Severin said. “The staff at Wellington have done an excellent job in managing the effects of the mice plague, but we need to take this step now. “I thank the team at Wellington for their ongoing commitment to their work during this challenging time.
Most staff will be redeployed to other correctional centers in the western region, while a skeleton crew will remain at Wellington to oversee and assist with remediation work.
The 420 male and female inmates will be transferred to other prisons in the next 10 days. Some inmates will return to Wellington during the day to work. Part of the remediation work will allow investigations into how the centre can be protected from future mice plagues.
