Perry Edwin: Corrections Bill — First Reading 
Perry Edwin: Corrections Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:607;Page:4693] 
EDWIN PERRY (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First will support this bill to the select committee and will watch it very carefully as it makes its way through there. There are some concerns though with regard to the bill. The background to this bill to do with the corrections system has changed markedly since the current Act was passed in 1954. Obviously there may need to be some changes to the legislation but my concerns are that we are currently building three more prisons and I want to ask Labour members whom those prisons are for. That is my concern. Who will be going into those prisons and how much will it cost? 
Hon Dover Samuels 
: Full of Maori. 
EDWIN PERRY 
: Yes the prisoners are all Maori; it is exactly as the member has just said. That is dead right. I have some concerns about that because 53 percent of Maori males on a population basis do house themselves in the prisons. So I have some real concerns about this particular area. 
Much of the bill deals with the operations of the prisons. Yes that is questionable too. In respect of how some of the prisons are run my informants tell me that the prisoners have more rights than the officers so I have some questions to be answered about that. 
I also wish to discuss the purpose and principles of the corrections system. Clause 5(1)(c) states that one purpose of the corrections system is to provide “information on offenders to the courts and to the New Zealand Parole Board to assist them in decision-making.” Prior to Christmas 500 prisoners at risk of re-offending were released. Were we informed about that? No. So there is an example of prisoners who had committed crimes being released—prisoners we would have had to keep our eye on. Some of them have committed crimes since being released and their names have been noted quite clearly in the newspapers recently. 
I want to come back now to the cultural background and language of offenders. My informants tell me that some of the Maori programmes that have been run in some of our prisons are not working for the betterment of the Maori people involved. The laugh is that some of the Maori prisoners attending those classes get paid $2 for attending and quite frankly some of them are going there just to collect the $2. Another thing is that tikanga is being taken into the prisons and a service is being provided in the prison by a marae that sits outside the prison. I believe that tikanga and cultural aspects are a matter of mana and some of the things being taught should stay outside the prison. I know for a fact too that some Maori prisoners are under so much stress from having different cultural aspects of their kawa forced on them that some of them have entered mental institutions. I have some personal experience of that involving my cousin whom I will not name in this House obviously. The information is available if somebody wants to contact me about that. 
Clause 6(1)(e) states: “the corrections system must ensure the fair treatment of prisoners and offenders who are subject to community-based sentences released on home detention or released on conditions under the Parole Act 2002 or the Sentencing Act 2002”. We will be watching that area very carefully as the bill goes through the select committee. I sit on the Law and Order Committee with other members of the Opposition and the Government. 
Another area that interests me is paragraph (g) in clause 6(1) which states: “offenders must so far as is reasonable and practicable in the circumstances within the resource available be given access to activities that may contribute to their rehabilitation and reintegration into the community”. I do not think we go far enough in doing that and I do not think the programmes that are available within the prisons allow prisoners when they come out to move to a feeling of confidence and self-worth or a feeling of their mana. I believe that the polytechs could play a very important role in that regard. Prisoners could enter into a training programme while in prison and if they are released before the programme finishes they could gain creditable certification by going on to polytech to finish their training programme. That would endow them as I said before with the mana the experience and the training to enable them to move into programmes. 
Clause 6(1)(h) states that “contact between prisoners and their families must be encouraged and supported”. I must say that that area is very close to my heart. I went to a prison recently to visit one of my cousins; it was the first time I had been into a prison to visit someone. I tell members something that really hurt me. I saw a Maori chap who was in prison come out to meet his family. His wife arrived—whether it was his wife or his partner I do not really care; I believe it was a whanau group. The father appeared from the door that prisoners come through for visits and the two little children who were with the wife the two little tamariki raced up to their father and grabbed him round the legs. They held on to him and called out “Dad Dad Dad”. Quite frankly it really upset me to see that sort of thing going on. It just seemed to be a way of life for that family to enter the prison to say good morning to Dad. It really upset me to see that happen. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: And rightly so. 
EDWIN PERRY 
: I thank the National member for that. 
I want to talk about clause 69 which deals with prisoners’ minimal entitlements. I know prisoners have to have some entitlements but at the end of the day those people are better looked after than our returned servicemen and women who at one stage did not have any accommodation and were just about kicked out of their building in Levin. Our old people do not have the entitlements that prisoners have. 
Jill Pettis 
: Oh don’t be so simplistic. 
EDWIN PERRY 
: Oh the member for Whanganui can go on too. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: At least someone elected her. 
EDWIN PERRY 
: That is fine; I do not have a problem with that. I have the same opportunity as her while I am here to state my view. 
Clause 69 also mentions physical exercise. This is what prisoners get: physical exercise bed and bedding food and drink and access to private visitors. That is fine. I do not have a problem with that. I do not have a problem with allowing access to their family not at all. They also get access to legal advisers. 
Judith Collins 
: Elderly people should have access to legal advice. 
EDWIN PERRY 
: Exactly. Our old people should have access to legal advisers if they cannot afford one. Prisoners have an entitlement to receive medical treatment. Why cannot old people have free medical care if the Government gives it to these people? Certainly the elderly may need that. Other minimum entitlements are to send and receive mail and to make outgoing telephone calls. What a wonderful place prison is to be! I do not have a problem with information and education either. I believe that is what those people need in order to be rehabilitated into the community. [ 
Interruption 
] Something is buzzing over there. I must be doing something as a new member. 
In relation to drug searches my informant informs me that children under the age for being searched are being used as couriers to take drugs into prisons. It is a real concern that little children and babies are being used as couriers to take drugs into prisons. 
Jill Pettis 
: What populist crap! 
EDWIN PERRY 
: Is that right? If Jill Pettis wants to organise a meeting with me I will welcome a visit from her and I will inform her of whom that person is and where those drugs are going. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I really think that the remark made by the member was grossly out of order and that she should be asked to withdraw and apologise. I am sorry to interrupt the member’s speech. 
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: I ask the member to stand and withdraw and apologise. 
Jill Pettis 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
EDWIN PERRY 
: The member’s body language tells me a lot. Thank you. New Zealand First does support this bill going to a select committee. Obviously with Mr Ryall on that committee he and other members will be watching the matter very carefully.