Melaleuca Women’s Prison (Melaleuca) started life as two accommodation units attached to Hakea Prison – Units 11 and 12. Increasing crowding in the women’s estate led to these two units being redesignated for female prisoners, with some, albeit limited, infrastructure added to make it a standalone facility.
The prison commenced operations on 15 December 2016 under the private management of Sodexo Australia Pty Ltd (Sodexo). It was branded as both a remand and reintegration facility for women that Sodexo would manage for five years. The contract was complex and overly prescriptive. Added to this was a changing political landscape that left Sodexo in a precarious position. By December 2019 Sodexo and the government agreed to end the contract early. The prison transitioned to public management in April 2020.
Melaleuca is a ‘one size fits all’ prison not purpose built for women. It lacks standard infrastructure like an education centre and classrooms, an indoor recreation space and dedicated program rooms. Accommodation options for the women are severely restricted with no access to self-care or any privileged living opportunities.
It is a complex prison managing a difficult cohort. There was no purposeful regime for the women, impacted for the most part by the inadequate infrastructure. The Senior Management Team and staff worked hard to make the prison work and were committed and motivated to do so. But with limited resources and short staffing impacting the daily operations they struggled to provide a meaningful regime for the women. The facility also lacked an apparent strategic vision.