Clendon David: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeClendon David: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 28 July 2015. Volume:707;Page:5333. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]8.DAVID CLENDON (Green) to the Minister of Corrections: How many Final Warning Notices in accordance with Serco’s contract with the Crown have been issued since Serco took over management of the Mt Eden Corrections Facility?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Minister of Corrections): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. None but there have been substantial financial penalties to date.David Clendon: Why have no final warning notices been issued to Serco given that at least 10 performance notices have been issued in the last 3 years and any one of those could have doubled as a final notice?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: As I have said in the past there are a number of options available to the department but the most important thing at this stage is ensuring the safety of staff and prisoners at the facility. That is why we are awaiting the outcome of the review by the chief inspector.David Clendon: How did the Department of Corrections fail to pick up on the huge failings at the Serco facility despite auditing and reporting done by Serco doing spot checks and having an onsite monitoring team including a primary and two secondary monitors in the prison who attended daily and weekly meetings on operational matters and a monthly contract management meeting attended by the prison director?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Those matters that the member refers to are part of the review of the chief inspector which is being overseen by the Office of the Ombudsmen. I await the findings of that review and I suggest that the member waits too.David Clendon: Was the Minister correct to dismiss as “political game-playing” accusations last week of prisoner violence in Mt Eden prison?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I was referring to bringing the death of a young man to this House and using it as a political football. These issues and allegations are serious and our Government takes these matters seriously and that is why the review is in place.David Clendon: Given revelations about Serco’s failings since question time last Thursday will the Minister now rule out renewing Serco’s contract for the management of Mt Eden prison?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: We have a review in place and we need to get to the bottom of all the serious allegations that have been brought to task. Certainly termination is one of the options available.David Clendon: What if any additional monitoring has the Minister already put in place at the Auckland South corrections facility at Wiri which is also managed by Serco?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: We have monitors in place. We have the Office of the Ombudsmen which is able to go on the premises at any time. There are a number of monitoring and surveillance of the activities of Serco currently in place.Dr Russel Norman: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was what additional monitoring there was. The Minister referred to the existing monitoring; David Clendon is interested in what additional monitoring there was.Mr SPEAKER: I think this is a fair call. I am going to ask David Clendon to repeat that question.David Clendon: Thank you Mr Speaker. What if any additional monitoring has the Minister put in place at the new Auckland South correctional facility at Wiri which is also managed by Serco?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I have not personally put in any additional measures at Wiri.