Mahesh Bindra MP

Spokesperson for Corrections
10 APRIL 2015

Closing New Zealand Prisons is Pure Folly

Closing publicly-run prisons to populate a privately-run prison is pure folly, says New Zealand First.

“The review announced will destabilise an already pressured staff and is being used to justify the building of an unnecessary privately-run corrections facility in South Auckland,” says Corrections spokesperson Mahesh Bindra.

“There is no evidence to suggest that we even need a new facility – we have enough beds across all of New Zealand’s corrections facilities for the current prison population even when allowing for emergencies.

“Serco is known for dubious financial transactions in the UK and has not proven that they provide safe environments for staff and prisoners – the Mt Eden facility has the highest proportion of prisoner on staff assaults in New Zealand.

“Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has already said that Serco doesn’t follow the same staff to prisoner ratios used by the Department of Corrections, which are a proven tool in staff and prisoner safety.

“It is nonsense for the Minister to suggest ‘that the proposal reflects our commitment to providing safe and secure working conditions for staff and a safe and productive environment for prisoners’ when evidence suggests otherwise.

“The Chief Custodial Officer should be ensuring staff and prisoner safety not wasting money on an unnecessary review,” says Mr Bindra.

ENDS

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