Simon Power MP
National Party Justice & Corrections Spokesman

8 January 2006

Corrections bonuses climb even higher

National Party Justice and Corrections spokesman Simon Power is questioning why bonus payments to Corrections Department staff are on track to double this year.

“I don’t even think the Minister would be silly enough to claim Corrections has had a good year and is on top of its game. That makes these bonus payments even more stunning.”

Mr Power says in the 2005/06 year, $2 million in ‘performance payments’ was handed to 656 staff, averaging just over $3,000 each.

“Yet in the first four months of this financial year, almost $1.3 million has already been paid out in bonuses.

“At that rate, the total for the year will be $3.8 million, almost double the previous year.

“Surely the question on the minds of New Zealanders is how can such ‘performance payments’ be justified, when even the chief executive of Corrections acknowledges that they had an ‘annus horribilis’ last year?”

Mr Power says the shambles in the Department shows no sign of abating.

“Here’s a department that has bluntly refused to take any responsibility for the systemic failures that led to the tragic death of Liam Ashley.

“At the same time, prisoners have been enjoying flat-screen TVs, X-boxes and Playstations, while multi-million dollar landscaping projects are undertaken at our increasingly expensive prisons.

“If this is the basis on which Labour decides that it will double bonus payments, then it’s time for new management.”

ENDS

Attached: Financial Review Extract – 1 page.

http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/0701/PowerReview.pdf

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