Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis continues to display weakness as he denies the total destruction of Waikeria Prison by prisoners was a riot, National’s Corrections spokesperson Simeon Brown says.

“For six days 17 prisoners were allowed to maintain total control over the upper jail at Waikeria Prison, leaving the prison in ruins.

“But the Minister has refused to call out this destruction for what it is, a riot.

“Mr Davis needs to come clean to Kiwis and confirm whether referring to the riot as a disorder event was one of the demands from those prisoners.

“If so, this sets a dangerous precedent, will the Government continue to give into the demands of prisoners who cause catastrophic damage to facilities, endangering the lives of Corrections staff as well as other prisoners?

“It’s time for Kelvin Davis to step up as a Minister, he was nowhere to be seen during the riot when it counted, he won’t implement a separate independent inquiry and now he won’t even label the takeover as the riot it clearly was.

“Putting lives at risk and destroying property is totally unacceptable. Kelvin Davis should stop pandering to those rioters and take a stronger approach, otherwise there’s nothing stopping more prisoners from taking similar action.”

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