'Mad' plan to move witness protection program from Long Bay to Goulburn is put on hold NSW Police and the Department of Corrective Services sources told Ray Hadley they were concerned that moving informants would not be safe. Picture: Erin Byrne Source: News Limited A CONTROVERSIAL plan to move a prisoner witness protection program from Long Bay to Goulburn has been put on hold. 2GB presenter Ray Hadley revealed this morning that the department of corrective services was going to shut down a stand-alone witness protection facility, that was purpose-built to house inmates that had informed against co-conspirators. The long bay facility has a capacity for 60 prisoners, but only 47 inmates. Prisoners who have informed on co-conspirators are kept separate from the general population. The decision by corrective services to shut it down and transfer prisoners to Goulburn was released in an internal memo on September 10, and was justified as a money-saving measure. Attorney General Greg Smith told NSW Parliament question time today that the plan had been "put on hold in light of concerns raised." Mr Hadley said sources within NSW Police and the Department of Corrective Services were concerned it would not be safe, and would mean less prisoners would be willing to turn on co-conspirators. Radio broadcaster Ray Hadley raised the issue on his program. Opposition leader John Robertson said this morning that it was a dangerous example of "cost-cutting gone mad." This will mean that individuals will not be prepared to give evidence to help our police and the courts put away some of the Mr Big's of the criminal world simply because their protection will no longer be guaranteed.