10. SIMON POWER (National—Rangitikei) Link to this
to the Minister of Corrections
Does he have confidence in his department; if so, why?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Minister of Corrections) Link to this
Yes, but I have made it crystal clear to the chief executive that he is responsible for making further improvements, with clear lines of accountability.
How can the Minister continue to claim that his department is on notice because of its poor performance, when in the last year $1.7 million was paid in bonuses to staff, including at least one staff member who received an individual payment of $20,000—or is his new “tough guy” routine over before it begins?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
I have never claimed that the department is perfect. A huge number of people in the Department of Corrections do an outstanding job every year. Although mistakes may occur, no mistakes are as big as that made by that member when, as National’s defence spokesperson, he said New Zealand should go to Iraq. How bad is that?
How can he justify $1.7 million in bonuses for his department in a year of construction cost blowouts, the death of Liam Ashley, a critical Ombudsmen’s report, the Graeme Burton rampage that resulted in the tragic death of Karl Kuchenbecker, staff corruption, riots, and so many more blunders that the Standing Orders prevent me from continuing with the list?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
A huge amount of good work has gone on in the Department of Corrections since we came into power. Prison escapes have fallen by 78 percent, the number of serious assaults on staff has declined by 88 percent under this Government, 65 percent of prisons now have a single point of entry, and serious prisoner-on-prisoner assaults have fallen by 75 percent. A huge amount of good work is taking place in the department, but we are not perfect.
Hon Phil GoffCan the Minister tell the House whether the situation regarding security in prisons has increased and improved since 1999, when the head of Pāremoremo prison said the fence around the prison was not meant to stop the prisoners escaping but just to slow them down?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
Absolutely! Since we came into Government, escapes have fallen by 78 percent while prison muster numbers have increased. We have built over 17 kilometres of proper fencing around prisons, because the previous National Government had neglected to spend anything on capital in this area.
How does the Minister think the public of New Zealand will feel, when a year after barely a third of them expressed confidence in his department in a public poll—the same year that the chief executive described as an annus horribilis—they hear Department of Corrections managers are being paid bonuses in the sum of $1.7 million?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
Firstly, the chief executive has never made that comment. Secondly, the level of confidence in the Department of Corrections is still higher than that in politicians around this country, particularly those in the National Party. A huge amount of good work and improvements are going on, as we speak, in the department.
Can the Minister confirm that one of the criteria for receiving a bonus was the onerous goal that “all performance competencies have been met”; and even if that was the case for Department of Corrections staff, is that not the least that somebody should be doing in his or her job, not the most, which ends up costing the taxpayer $1.7 million in bonuses?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
The facts are that we have reduced the number of escapes by 78 percent and we have reduced the rate of positive results in random drug tests from 35 percent under the National Government down to 13 percent. That is because of a better performance by the vast majority of Department of Corrections officers, some of whom have deserved those bonuses.
How does the Minister reconcile those bonuses with the fact that nearly one-quarter of staff at the Department of Corrections’ head office have chucked in their jobs in the past year, yet by comparison turnover amongst the staff who actually deal with the inmates in the Public Prisons Service is just under 10 percent; and how bad have things got at head office in the environment that we have seen over the last 12 months—again, the environment where this Minister has allowed $1.7 million in bonuses to be paid?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
I am pleased to hear that the member acknowledges that the turnover of prison officers is indeed very low—lower than the average across the State sector. There has been a higher rate of turnover in the head office, partly, I am sure, because that member continues to make inaccurate accusations of all Department of Corrections staff. I have gone on record as saying there is a restructuring going on in head office, because we are going to better align the lines of accountability and responsibility throughout the whole system.