Private, for-profit prison corporations are expanding in Australia faster than in any other country. These corporations are based in the United States and form part of the corrections-commercial complex. Observations in New South Wales suggest that the nature of these newly internationalized private prison corporations is neo- colonialist, both economically and culturally. It is analogous to the expansion of the nuclear power industry, initially by transnational United States corporations and more recently by other transnational corporations. This perspective suggests that the appropriateness of transnational, private, for-profit prison corporations operating prisons in Australia is highly questionable. Notes and 30 references (Author abstract modified)