Mark Ron: Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims Bill — In Committee Procedure Third Reading 
Mark Ron: Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims Bill — In Committee Procedure Third Reading 
[Volume:626;Page:20967] 
RON MARK (NZ First) 
: 
 In speaking on behalf of New Zealand First on Part 2 I ask first why this bill is before us. It is here because the public have become disgusted with the payouts that have been given to various inmates since Labour has been in Government. I will give an example not in the words of New Zealand First but in the words of a newspaper article. It says: “A notorious Mongrel Mob member who once stabbed a police officer with a screwdriver”—Mr Barker although he is a former union representative who I do not think has worked with his hands for many many years might know what a screwdriver is; it is a tool and a very blunt tool at that—“leaving him partly paralysed has been convicted of assaulting another two officers.” This man Mr Gillies who left a police officer paralysed subsequently received a $40000 payout as a result of a deal done by this Government with him and with a bunch of other inmates like him who supposedly were mistreated and had their “feelings hurt”. Well I ask members to imagine the feelings of the wife of that police officer. I ask them to imagine the feelings of the partners and spouses of those prison officers and to imagine the feelings of Mr Gillies’ own children from whom he stole between $60000 and $80000 after his release from prison and after he had received $40000 in compensatory payment from this Government. 
Let us just think about that. That is taxpayers’ money. This man who stabbed a policeman with a screwdriver and who got $40000 of taxpayers’ money for having his “feelings hurt” when he was insulted by a prison officer within months of his release from jail had stolen from his children out of their education fund—[ 
Interruption 
] He stole $60000 to $80000 and Jill Pettis thinks that that is a joke. Jill Pettis is the woman who has been reported around the country as having said that she would not contemplate a coalition with New Zealand First because its members are so unsophisticated. Jill Pettis the woman who strips the varnish off the walls behind me when she speaks dares to consider Winston Peters and New Zealand First MPs unsophisticated. It is no wonder she has some feeling deep down inside for men who would steal money from their children. 
Jill Pettis 
: When was I reported? 
RON MARK 
: The member should not worry; it is all around the place. Why do we have inmates claiming money for abuse within our prisons? I hold in my hand right now a document almost an inch thick entitled:  
Report for the State Services Commissioner into the Department of Corrections Canterbury Emergency Response Unit (CERU) 
. We waited for this document for 4 years. For 3 years New Zealand First asked for an inquiry into what was going on in prisons and for 3 years this Government refused an inquiry. Then when it became too embarrassing the Government finally conceded and 1 year later we have this report. What does it say? It says that abuses in our prisons have been going on for years sanctioned by senior management at the highest level under this Government. 
Why do we have prisoners claiming compensation? That happens when a lazy Minister who thinks he knows everything and a Government that thinks it knows everything refuse to believe or accept the criticisms and observations coming from New Zealand First the National Party the Greens and United Future. They refuse to listen and the abuses go on. Is it any wonder that inmates are lodging claims and bringing charges? There are a couple of easy solutions to the problem but they do not lie in Part 2 of this bill. They lie firstly in the next election. People need to vote against Labour in every way. They need to get Labour out. Secondly we need a system in which our Department of Corrections is run by good people who respect the law.