There were 128 Victorians aged under 18 in custody as of August this year, either serving time or on remand.
Opposition spokeswoman for youth justice Nicole Werner said the reopening was a clear failure by the government and would come at a huge cost to taxpayers.
Riot police attending an incident at called the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre in 2017.
Credit: Paul Jeffers
“This is more evidence of a Labor government in panic as it has lost control of crime and has no solutions to make Victorians feel safe,” Werner said.
“Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage crime, and Victorians are paying the price.”
When Malmsbury was closed in 2023, it threatened the jobs of 240 staff. Some were redeployed to Parkville and Cherry Creek youth justice centres, but others took redundancies. About 114 staff will be rehired to run the centre, a process the government estimates could take up to six months.
Victorian secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, Jiselle Hanna, who represents prison guards, said Labor had to ensure the centre was properly resourced to protect both the staff and young inmates.
“We’ll be watching closely to make sure past mistakes aren’t repeated and that our members’ industrial interests are represented,” she said.
Jiselle Hanna, secretary of the public sector union.Credit: Penny Stephens
“It’s not as simple as just reopening the facility, either. The government must invest in decent working conditions to retain skilled staff. If the jobs aren’t safe, sustainable, and worth staying in, people leave. That churn hurts everyone.”
Malmsbury was marred previously by several high-profile incidents, including attacks against female staff, riots, and escapes.
Chief executive of West Justice Community Legal Centre, Melissa Hardham, said the reopening was bad policy and the government should be focused on early intervention to reduce youth crime.
“What we really need to do is see it earlier on in that young person’s experience, and look at the root causes of the problem in the first instance,” she told ABC Radio.
She said jailing people causes a higher rate of reoffending.
Crime figures released in June by the independent Crime Statistics Agency indicated Victoria was experiencing record levels of offending. Crime is shaping up as a major political talking point ahead of the November 2026 election.
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