Close MSPC at Long Bay Jail
Close MSPC at Long Bay Jail
The issue
To the NSW Government, the Minister for Corrections and Members of the NSW Parliament
We, the undersigned, call on the NSW Government to permanently close the Metropolitan Special Programs Centre (MSPC) at Long Bay and move those held there into safe, modern and fit-for-purpose accommodation.
MSPC opened in 1909 and is still being used to house some of the most vulnerable people in NSW custody, including people who are aged, frail, living with disability and experiencing serious mental health and medical needs.
The NSW Inspector of Custodial Services inspected Long Bay in 2023 and 2024 and reported to Parliament in December 2025.
The Inspector identified ligature points, mould, rust, vermin, poor ventilation, inadequate natural light and deteriorating infrastructure.
Most importantly, the Inspector stated:
“The age and condition of MSPC means it simply cannot provide a safe environment for people in custody.”
The Inspector then recommended closure and this, MSPC remains open.
And just this year alone In May 2026, a 19-year-old man died by suicide at MSPC while on remand.
In August 2026, another person died at MSPC ..both times in a facility that should’ve already been closed by now
These are not just statistics. They are people. They are families who now have to live with the loss of someone they love.
The Government has been given the evidence. It has been given the recommendations and It has even been allocated $16 million to address and remove ligature points in NSW prisons.
How many more warnings do we need?
How many more people have to die?
SO WE ARE CALLING ON THE NSW GOVERNMENT TO:
• Permanently close and decommission MSPC.
• Stop placing people in unsafe and unsuitable accommodation.
• Immediately address known ligature points and other serious safety risks.
• Provide safe, modern and appropriate accommodation for those currently held there.
• Implement the recommendations of the NSW Inspector of Custodial Services.
• Provide a clear public timeline for the closure of MSPC.
• Ensure deaths in custody are properly investigated and families are treated with dignity and kept informed.
People are sent to prison as punishment.
They are sentenced to the loss of their freedom, not the loss of their right to safety and dignity.
The Inspector has recommended closure now the NSW Government needs to act before another person dies in a place that should not even be opened still as per the report.
SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:
NSW Inspector of Custodial Services – Long Bay Correctional Complex inspection
NSW Corrective Services – Deaths in Custody statistics and reports https://correctiveservices.dcj.nsw.gov.au/resources/research-and-reports/deaths-in-custody/published-statistics-and-research-reports-on-deaths-in-custody.html
The Guardian – Man dies in Sydney prison unit that watchdog wanted shut down because it “cannot provide a safe environment”https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/may/14/man-dies-long-bay-sydney-prison-watchdog-wanted-shut
The Guardian – Prison watchdog urges closure of “unsafe” parts of Long Bay prison
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/08/long-bay-jail-nsw-prison-watchdog-report
NSW Inspector of Custodial Services – Inspection reports
https://inspectorcustodial.nsw.gov.au/reports-and-publications/inspection-reports.html
206
The issue
To the NSW Government, the Minister for Corrections and Members of the NSW Parliament
We, the undersigned, call on the NSW Government to permanently close the Metropolitan Special Programs Centre (MSPC) at Long Bay and move those held there into safe, modern and fit-for-purpose accommodation.
MSPC opened in 1909 and is still being used to house some of the most vulnerable people in NSW custody, including people who are aged, frail, living with disability and experiencing serious mental health and medical needs.
The NSW Inspector of Custodial Services inspected Long Bay in 2023 and 2024 and reported to Parliament in December 2025.
The Inspector identified ligature points, mould, rust, vermin, poor ventilation, inadequate natural light and deteriorating infrastructure.
Most importantly, the Inspector stated:
“The age and condition of MSPC means it simply cannot provide a safe environment for people in custody.”
The Inspector then recommended closure and this, MSPC remains open.
And just this year alone In May 2026, a 19-year-old man died by suicide at MSPC while on remand.
In August 2026, another person died at MSPC ..both times in a facility that should’ve already been closed by now
These are not just statistics. They are people. They are families who now have to live with the loss of someone they love.
The Government has been given the evidence. It has been given the recommendations and It has even been allocated $16 million to address and remove ligature points in NSW prisons.
How many more warnings do we need?
How many more people have to die?
SO WE ARE CALLING ON THE NSW GOVERNMENT TO:
• Permanently close and decommission MSPC.
• Stop placing people in unsafe and unsuitable accommodation.
• Immediately address known ligature points and other serious safety risks.
• Provide safe, modern and appropriate accommodation for those currently held there.
• Implement the recommendations of the NSW Inspector of Custodial Services.
• Provide a clear public timeline for the closure of MSPC.
• Ensure deaths in custody are properly investigated and families are treated with dignity and kept informed.
People are sent to prison as punishment.
They are sentenced to the loss of their freedom, not the loss of their right to safety and dignity.
The Inspector has recommended closure now the NSW Government needs to act before another person dies in a place that should not even be opened still as per the report.
SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:
NSW Inspector of Custodial Services – Long Bay Correctional Complex inspection
NSW Corrective Services – Deaths in Custody statistics and reports https://correctiveservices.dcj.nsw.gov.au/resources/research-and-reports/deaths-in-custody/published-statistics-and-research-reports-on-deaths-in-custody.html
The Guardian – Man dies in Sydney prison unit that watchdog wanted shut down because it “cannot provide a safe environment”https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/may/14/man-dies-long-bay-sydney-prison-watchdog-wanted-shut
The Guardian – Prison watchdog urges closure of “unsafe” parts of Long Bay prison
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/08/long-bay-jail-nsw-prison-watchdog-report
NSW Inspector of Custodial Services – Inspection reports
https://inspectorcustodial.nsw.gov.au/reports-and-publications/inspection-reports.html
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Petition created on 18 August 2026