5 November 2008

New Zealand First Says No To
Private Prisons

New Zealand First spokesman for corrections Ron Mark confirmed today that the party will not support the tendering of prison management to private companies.

“We would not be able to support any government policy that led to the privatisation of our prison service,” said Mr Mark

“There is a fundamental concern about making prisons subject to competition and the forces of the market.

“The idea of companies having a vested interest in maintaining the prison population in such a way as to satisfy those interests at the cost of penal policy is unacceptable.

“Those who have been deprived of their liberty by the state should be watched over by those who are accountable to that same state.

“We believe that the best way to run our prisons is to consolidate and improve the structures already in place, and invest in the human resources tasked with the job,” concluded Mr Mark.

ENDS

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