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.”
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