Mahesh Bindra MP

Spokesperson for Corrections

6 MAY 2016

Yet Another Failure, More Staff Put At Risk!

Staff at Auckland South Corrections Facility are put at risk because of Serco’s drive to put profits first, says New Zealand First.

“The latest incident in the Serco-run prison at Wiri again proves that they don’t know what they’re doing and should be sent packing,” says Corrections Spokesperson and former Senior Corrections Officer Mahesh Bindra.

“Serco do not use the staff-to-prisoner ratio used in state-run prisons. This ratio is designed to keep both staff and prisoners safe.

“Serco compromises staff numbers to make profits, and the government says it is satisfied.

“Prisoners will try to brew alcohol from anything, as occurred at Wiri, and without adequate staffing there is no one to stop it.

“Rather than empty promises of satisfaction with the ‘high level of performance in terms of safety, security and rehabilitative services provided by Serco’ the government needs to stick to its promise of taking any assault seriously.

“The reality is that private prisons don’t work and that incidents like this latest one will keep happening.

“Serco must go before there is a riot or death,” says Mr Bindra.

ENDS

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