National calls for prison U-turn

National is calling for the Government to make another policy U-turn, this time on its plan to close Auckland's highly successful privately run prison.

"Auckland's privately-run prison is a major success story. Compared with Government-run prisons, taxpayers get more for less," says Mr Ryall.

"Auckland Central Remand prison does more to rehabilitate and educate than Government prisons. It also enjoys wide community support for its approach and environment.

"The next National Government will expand the use of private prisons to help crack down on the growing crime rate.

"Prison works. If a criminal is locked up then they can't assault or violate other citizens. Increased imprisonment must be a part of any successful crime control plan.

"Britain's Auditor-General says private prisons have driven up standards and improved efficiency across the whole system.

"Private prisons are being expanded throughout Australia, Britain, Canada and South Africa. That's because they work better.

"National will ask the private sector to build and manage all future prisons," said Mr Ryall.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>