7. Offenders—Employment SupportMAUREEN PUGH (National) to the Minister of CorrectionsOffenders—Employment Support7. MAUREEN PUGH (National) to the Minister of Corrections: What recent announcement has she made regarding a partnership between the Department of Corrections and employers to get offenders into work and reduce their chance of reoffending?Hon LOUISE UPSTON (Minister of Corrections): Corrections' Employer Partnerships initiative is making a positive difference by helping 482 offenders into employment in just the last few months. Finding steady employment for offenders when they leave prison is critical to helping them turn their lives around and to reduce their chance of reoffending. I have hosted three successful employer breakfasts recently in Hamilton Christchurch and Wellington. The feedback from the employers has been overwhelming. Corrections has signed memorandums of understanding with 125 employers to help match prisoners with positions relevant to their experience and qualifications. Offenders can obtain qualifications through education and training courses offered while in prison and this provides them with the first step towards employment once they are released.Maureen Pugh: What new initiative is Corrections piloting to support offenders with mental health issues to improve their ability to be work-ready?Hon LOUISE UPSTON: As part of a $14 million investment to help offenders and their families cope with the challenges of mental health four new services are being piloted by Corrections. The new services include increased mental health support for prisoners and community-based offenders at 16 prisons and in four community corrections sites. We will also be investing in more counsellors and social workers at the country's three women's prisons to support them with current and historical trauma and family issues to reduce harm and their chance of reoffending. The Supported Living service will work with offenders with highly complex mental illness or cognitive impairment to access accommodation and support services on their release from prison. The Wrap Around Family/Whānau Support initiative will connect family and children of offenders with mental illness with community services to improve their social health and education outcomes.Kelvin Davis: Why was North Shore employer Mark Hoddle invited to Auckland prison—a businessman prepared to offer positions to offenders—but given no information about numbers of suitable offenders no information of their previous offences and their work experience no CVs to peruse and no date that they could interview them to ascertain whether they were suitable for his line of work so that he away annoyed that he had wasted a day away from his business?Hon LOUISE UPSTON: I am thrilled to hear that there is another employer who is interested in taking on offenders because that actually gives them the opportunity of a chance of not reoffending. I would encourage that member to give me their details so we can get in contact.Maureen Pugh: What other initiatives are being rolled out to support offenders to return to employment?Hon LOUISE UPSTON: Last week the second phase of an alcohol interlock pilot was launched nationally with 694000 from the Justice Sector fund. Phase 2 will see 240 alcohol interlock devices rolled out to eligible offenders who are serving community sentences for drink-driving offences. That is on top of the 175 rolled out in the first stage of the pilot. Alcohol interlocks immobilise a vehicle until the driver has successfully passed a breath-alcohol test and can reduce recidivism of alcohol-impaired driving by up to 70 percent. Offenders charged with drink-driving can face lengthy driving disqualification periods which obviously disrupts their employment. Stable work is critical to reducing reoffending and this programme means that offenders can continue to work as well as looking after their families and reducing the risk to their communities.