12. Question No. 12—CorrectionsSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of CorrectionsQuestion No. 12—Corrections12. SIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of Corrections: Does he stand by his statement about the Waikeria Prison riot being a prisoner disorder event"?Hon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister of Corrections): Yes. It involved prisoners there was disorder and an event—prisoner disorder event.Simeon Brown: Why has the Department of Corrections operational review called the riot at Waikeria Prison a "major disorder event" and not a riot?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I'm advised that the Department of Corrections has a framework for categorising prisoner-based incidents. This was categorised as a prisoner disorder event. Simeon Brown: Can he describe to the House the difference between a riot and a disorder event and why isn't he being honest with New Zealanders in accurately describing the total takeover—SPEAKER: Order! The member's just lost that supplementary. Simeon Brown: Is it true that one of the demands of the rioters was that the destruction of the entire upper jail was not to be described as a riot and is this the reason he has not described the destruction of the upper jail as a riot? Hon KELVIN DAVIS: No.Ginny Andersen: What advice if any has he received on the actions of corrections staff during the event at Waikeria? Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Following the event I visited the site and met with staff to express my full thanks for their professionalism and bravery in person. There was a lot of emotion from staff who had to evacuate hundreds of prisoners while fires burned around them and staff who safely brought the incident to an end. I have huge admiration for what they did in very difficult situations. I'm proud to be their Minister and of the bravery they showed throughout the event. Rawiri Waititi: Supplementary question Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: No I've indicated to the member that I will not call him when he is not properly dressed. The member will resume his seat. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: A point of order e te Māngai. Your memo made reference to those that have cultural attire. You have allowed other cultures to wear what's right for them. Why are you denying Māori culture their attire and his heitiki? SPEAKER: The expression that is used in the Standing Orders is "business attire". Business attire is something on which I have consulted. The members chose not to respond to the consultation. That is their choice. I have been guided and will continue to be guided in these matters by the views of members. I'm not absolutely required to do that but I do want to make it clear that the significant majority of members who responded made it clear that ties were part of business attire. And we could have a long discussion on this and I have had it in my office with a number of members and as I've indicated at least twice to the House my own sympathies are with an abandonment of ties but that is not the view of members who responded. Supplementary question—Rawiri Waititi: Point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: No the member cannot take a point of order. [Interruption] The member cannot take a point of order. I do not recognise the member. He will now leave the Chamber.Rawiri Waititi withdrew from the Chamber. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: Why did the Minister state that it was a prisoner disorder event when it was clearly a protest against Corrections' negligence in addressing the recommendations of the Ombudsman's report? Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I disagree entirely with the member. There is no justification whatsoever for what those men did. It was totally unacceptable. Hon David Bennett: It was a riot.Hon KELVIN DAVIS: They endangered the lives of over 180 other prisoners who were in their cells when those fires were lit.Hon David Bennett: It destroyed the entire upper jail with fire.Hon KELVIN DAVIS: They have denied families—SPEAKER: Order! Order! I'm now going to ask the member to resume his seat. I'm going to ask David Bennett to stop interjecting. I think most members regard this as a serious matter and having that sort of snarling occurring is not appropriate.Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Corrections also addressed the issues that the prisoners raised such as the water being brown. That was bore water. The water is tested six days a week. It's the same water that corrections officers drink. The issue around the bedding and the clothes—other former prisoners have come out and said that it is simply false. The Māori Party has fallen into the trap of believing the people who played up in the prison and are excusing their behaviour where there is no excuse.Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: So is the Minister saying the Ombudsman's report is wrong?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: No Mr Speaker. The Ombudsman's report was written in October of 2019. It only came out towards the end of last year. Corrections accepted the findings of the Ombudsman's report and they had taken steps to address those issues. We've also got to remember that the conditions at Waikeria Prison were there when the Māori Party and the National Party were in Government and the Māori Party had—[Interruption] This is important. This is important. The Māori Party had an Associate Minister of Corrections who did nothing to address those very issues that those people raised.Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: So I'm sorry—after all of that rhetoric the Minister is saying the Ombudsman's report is correct?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I've said that Corrections addressed the issues in the Ombudsman's report which was written a year before the event occurred."