20 July 2015

Buried prison report shows need for Greens’ Independent Prison Inspectorate

The Green Party’s Independent Prison Inspectorate Bill would have brought to light the prison fight club problem much earlier, said the Green Party today.

“It is shocking that Corrections had done an investigation and report into the prison fight clubs problem over a year ago, yet the Minister says he had no knowledge of the problem,” said Green Party corrections spokesperson David Clendon.

“If we had an Independent Prison Inspectorate, as per my Member’s Bill, the investigation and report would not have been buried and we would have known about the prison fight clubs much earlier.

“Serco has a vested interest in keeping the problem quiet, as does Corrections. Right now, with the Ombudsman completely over stretched, we have no independent voice that looks out for the welfare of staff and prisoners.

“The high number of assaults, the fight clubs and the buried report all show that Mt Eden is failing as a private prison and Serco needs the boot.

“National’s model of private prisons has failed and we need to put a stop to it now,” said Mr Clendon.

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