Victorian Coalition promises bigger prison without price hike

The Victorian Coalition has promised to almost double the size of a new prison planned north of Geelong, stating the bigger facility can be built without any increase in cost.

During a visit to Lara, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy revealed the prison would be built to house 700 maximum security inmates, 300 medium security offenders and 300 others on remand.

“(It) will enable a huge increase in the prison bed population in Victoria,” Mr Guy told reporters.

The facility would be funded using the $689 million designation in May’s state budget for a 700-bed jail.

“Doing this through a PPP (Public Private Partnership) model, engaging the private sector for the build, is much smarter, much smarter than blowing it all and trying to do it yourself and getting half the result,” Mr Guy said.

Meanwhile, Premier Daniel Andrews was in the Melbourne south-east suburb of Pakenham inspecting work on a new school, and pledging dozens more.

“100 new schools over the next eight years,” Mr Andrews said.

Labor's $850 million package would focus primarily on growth areas, with the new school campuses to include kindergartens where possible.

It comes as the state government rolls out a new ad campaign, highlighting its credentials in health.

Both sides will call a temporary truce on the campaign trail this Sunday, with a 12 hour ‘ceasefire’ as a mark of respect for the 100th anniversary of the World War One Armistice.

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