Arabic version: تسمانيا تسعى لاسترداد تكاليف الغذاء من متعهد مطبخ ريسدون

According to ABC News, the Tasmanian government is seeking to recover more than $1 million in food costs after the new $20 million kitchen at Risdon Prison closed because its flooring was deemed a slip hazard.

The kitchen opened in April but was shut only months later over concerns about the slip resistance of the floor. Corrections Minister Guy Barnett said contractor Hansen Yuncken had accepted responsibility for the hazard and was fixing the flooring at its own expense. He said the Department of Corrections would also pursue the contractor for costs flowing from the closure, consistent with the contract.

Treasurer Eric Abetz told parliament the government had spent $1,035,072 on catering contracts over the past two months. Meals have been sourced from Tasmania and interstate, including Victoria. Mr Barnett said local suppliers had been used wherever possible, with one interstate provider engaged where local capacity and operational requirements could not be met.

Labor corrections and rehabilitations spokesperson Jen Butler questioned whether the government would be able to recover the expenditure, saying its assurances should be treated cautiously while contract details remain undisclosed. Mr Barnett has revised the expected reopening date to mid-September and requested an independent departmental review into how the issue occurred and how similar contractor errors can be prevented.