Well, it appears the NSW Government has landed in an equally unpopular spot and has had to say “No to jail”.

In the board game you might draw a card from the “community chest”, which sends you direct to jail, but in this case a community beating its chest has halted a jail before it even turned from idea into concept.

Ever since the government dropped the idea of a jail in our region in April, it’s been met with a groundswell of discontent.

Any idea it might be good for the local economy or jobs has been swallowed up and spat out by the vast chasm of anger from those in the communities in which this would directly impact the most.

If the NSW Government was testing the water with this idea their fingers got burned and burned bad.

Scalded in fact.

History is littered with great ideas and concepts which have died a death because for whatever reason they have neither had nor earned “social license”.

The NSW Government was identifying a number of factors in its decision not to proceed, but overwhelmingly the community angst would have been the overriding factor.

Ultimately, it was just poorly handled and not properly thought out.

Illawarra Business Chamber CEO Adam Zarth probably said it best when he said: 

“While a new correctional centre would generate secure jobs and flow-on benefits for the region, we noted that the selected location must represent best economic use of that site.

“Aside from the concerns raised by the community, the proximity of the proposed Kembla Grange site to Port Kembla and other economic infrastructure means it is better utilised for industrial activity.”

Over 14,000 people signed a petition against the jail proposal.

While there will be many who may bemoan the loss of jobs or potential for the local economy, that’s a big number to fight against all rallied for the one cause.

Quite simply, there is still no power like people power.