State Infrastructure Plan

Justice and public safety
Responsive public safety services and an effective
justice system play a critical role in ensuring our
communities are safe, inclusive and sustainable.
Through a network of infrastructure across the state,
the Queensland Government provides the community
with fair and timely justice services, secure custodial
detention and correctional facilities, and essential
police, emergency response and disaster management
services.
Queensland’s public safety and justice assets include
prisons, courts, police and emergency service stations,
training facilities and extensive ICT networks. In recent
years, irregular growth in prisoner numbers and prison
capacity and facilities that are ageing or not fit-forpurporse
has resulted in significant pressure on justice
infrastructure. Public safety agencies have primarily
focused on investing in locations and service delivery
that helps improve emergency response times.
A range of demand drivers will influence the need
for future infrastructure investment. These include
a growing and ageing population, an increase in
the severity and frequency of natural disasters and
changing community expectations of government
services. An increasing array of emerging social issues
and crime trends must also be addressed. This includes
domestic and family violence, mental health issues and
substance abuse, as well as the threat of terrorism and
cyber-crime.
The predicted increase in the frequency and severity
of extreme weather events, including the possibility
of southward movement of tropical cyclones into more
densely populated areas of Queensland, will pose
significant challenges to public safety agencies in
the future.
A renewed focus on whole-of-government approaches
that recognise and address the causes of crime may
help reduce demand on services over time. Improved
community supervision and diversionary justice
processes also have a role to play. Addressing changes
in the profile of prison and youth justice populations,
including more women prisoners, an ageing prisoner
profile and detainees with mental illness or complex
needs, may require targeted investment in special
purpose infrastructure.
Emergency services integrated response
New technology increasingly provides opportunities for
improvements to electronic intelligence capabilities,
online service provision and greater use of electronic
communication, such as videoconferencing, to deliver
services to the community. However, these advances,
along with the age and complexity of existing
infrastructure, further reinforce the need to
undertake maintenance or upgrades.
While some new infrastructure will be required in
the future, particularly to accommodate population
growth south-west of Brisbane, increased access
to digital services and changes to service delivery
models provides an opportunity to optimise existing
infrastructure where it is more cost-effective prior
to making new investments. In regional and remote
communities, this may include multi-agency service
delivery under one roof, improving the sustainability
of assets and enhancing their community amenity.
JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSES
The Queensland Government has developed responses to address identified challenges and guide investment across both the 1–4 year
program and future opportunities. Most projects or opportunities relate to at least one response, however some will relate to more than
one response. As the SIP matures, the relationship between responses and these programs will strengthen.
Innovatively
manage the need for
new infrastructure
using demand
management
strategies.
Increase the use
of technology to
integrate services.
Rationalise underutilised
facilities
and those that are
no longer fit-forpurpose.
Enhance community
safety through
digital capabilities.
90 State Infrastructure Plan Part B: Program