Power calls for inquiry into Corrections

National’s Law & Order spokesman, Simon Power, is calling for an inquiry into the Corrections Department.

He is writing to the chairman of the law and order select committee asking for the inquiry, whose terms of reference would include but not be limited to Corrections’ building programme.

“From what I can see Corrections is something of a shambles right now, and I want the inquiry to cover the raft of issues I have been highlighting over the past six to eight weeks.”

Those issues include:

The huge construction budget blow-out.

Deferred maintenance at Mt Eden.

An overcrowding problem that is predicted to continue till 2011.

A rash of escapes and assaults on guards.

Security and design flaws at Christchurch Men’s Prison and Ngawha.

A big increase in smuggling contraband into prisons.

“I look forward to the support of all political parties represented on the select committee, as I am sure they take these matters as seriously as does the public.”

Ends

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Arguably Reassuring: Inspector-General Finds GCSB "Arguably" Legal

Of the 88 individuals:

• 15 cases involving 22 individuals did not have any information intercepted by GCSB.

• another four cases involving five individuals were the subjects of a New Zealand Security Intelligence Service warrant and the GCSB assisted in the execution of the warrants. The Inspector-General is of the view that there were arguably no breaches and the law is unclear.

• the Bureau only provided technical assistance which did not involve interception of communications, involving three of the individuals, so no breach occurred.

• the remaining cases involved the collection of metadata, and the Inspector-General formed the view that there had arguably been no breach, noting once again that the law is unclear.
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