4. Hon BILL ENGLISH (Deputy Leader—National) Link to this
to the Minister of Corrections
Does he stand by the statement in his department’s investigation into the management of Graeme Burton’s parole that the failure to undertake a home visit scheduled for November 2006 was “not considered material”; if so, why?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Minister of Corrections) Link to this
The report identifies areas where mistakes were made and makes clear recommendations. I am in the process of implementing those recommended changes.
Why did his department conclude that the failure to conduct the November home visit did not matter, when police asked the Department of Corrections that day whether Burton could be recalled because he did not seem to be living at home, only to be told by the department that if there was food in the fridge, that was good enough for them to believe he was living at home?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
I understand that the home visit should have been completed in November, but when the police did call at the end of November—on 30 November—they concluded he was still living at the address.
How can the failure of his department to visit Burton’s home in November be considered “not material” when Burton had already been warned for not being there on 10 October, when in November he had failed to report on time, when he had two non-association orders issued against him, and when it was not just the police but the armed offenders squad that searched his house on suspicion of possessing firearms?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
As I have indicated, the report does identify areas where mistakes were made. We are moving to make changes to ensure that those mistakes cannot be made again.
Can the Minister confirm that the mistakes he is referring to include a failure to act immediately over Burton’s second breach of parole on 12 December when the probation officer was on leave; that another mistake was the failure to conduct a home visit; and that the department knows that both of these mistakes are exactly the ones that occurred in the management of William Duane Bell’s parole just before he killed several people?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
I accept that they are mistakes that were made. That is why we have made changes that are already under way—firmer guidelines for probation officers when breaches or suspected breaches of parole occur. There will be changes and more appropriate and timely responses when information is received regarding a parolee’s behaviour. We will ensure the transfer of responsibilities when staff take holidays. A number of changes will result from these reports to prevent this from happening again.
Can the Minister confirm that one result of the tragedy of the Mount Wellington - Panmure Returned Services Association murders was a zero tolerance register set up by the Department of Corrections, which includes requirements for home visits, and immediate action for repeated parole breaches; and, in light of the fact that the department failed on both counts to carry out its own guidelines for the zero tolerance register, what is the point of a zero tolerance register for serious offenders on parole?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
There was a requirement for immediate action to be undertaken when parole officers were in receipt of information that might have identified a breach. The fact that they then took too long to action that is a mistake, it has been acknowledged in the report, and it is something that will be changed.
When will the Minister finally understand that the public believes that the Government failed in its duty to protect the public in the case of Burton and in the Liam Ashley case, and that the public believes that when there is no accountability for that sort of terrible failure it is almost certain to happen again because that is the record of this department?
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR Link to this
There is clear accountability for the lessons to be learnt from any mistakes or failures in the system. The accountability is with the Ministers and the people involved to make the changes to ensure that such mistakes cannot occur in the future.