Alexander Marc: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Alexander Marc: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:610;Page:7982] 
2.  
MARC ALEXANDER (United Future) 
 to the  
Minister of Corrections 
: Is he satisfied that his department is doing enough to keep violent offenders secure and away from the public? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN (Minister of Corrections) 
: 
 Yes but we can always do better. 
Marc Alexander 
: Can the Minister confirm that it is common practice for prisoners to be transported on commercial passenger planes unrestrained and accompanied by one plain-clothes police officer yet under the Privacy Act an airline cannot let other passengers know on request whether there will be any prisoners on the flight? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I cannot confirm that but if the member is keen to take the matter up with me then I am happy to provide him with an answer. 
Martin Gallagher 
: What has the Government done to keep the public safe from violent offenders? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: Under the Sentencing Act violent offenders are now being locked up for longer and— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Rubbish! 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: That is true. Under the Sentencing Act violent offenders are being locked up for longer and under the Parole Act the Parole Board must give priority to public safety before deciding to release an inmate. This is good work from this Government. 
Brian Connell 
: In the light of the Minister’s answers to Mr Alexander’s question has the Minister considered using experienced and highly regarded prison officers like Doug Smith and Tony Bird former members of the “Goon Squad” to escort prisoners around the country as those guys would do anything for a chance to dress up and have a free beer; if not why not? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: No because it is not appropriate. 
Ron Mark 
: Does the Minister consider that one of his greatest successes in terms of keeping the public safe from offenders—from known violent offenders and rapists—was the inability of his department to know where Mr Mike Carroll was when he was on the loose in Christchurch and when supposedly the Minister’s staff had Mr Carroll fully secure and fully under observation at all times as the Minister assured us? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I have had many successes in my life but I would not count that as one of them. 
Marc Alexander 
: Can the Minister assure the public that the safety of their air travel is not being compromised by prisoners being on board the same plane as them given that in May last year a transferring prisoner overpowered his police escort threatened to “f--- up the flight” and had to be subdued by cabin crew and a passenger? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I can give an assurance about that. Obviously prisoners need to be escorted around the country and need to go by plane. Of course any concern about public safety needs to be investigated and I am happy to provide further information for that member if he so wishes. 
Stephen Franks 
: If the Minister finds after investigation that handcuffs are not used because of concern about the feelings and self-esteem of prisoners will he undertake to reverse that policy and ensure that handcuffs are worn to ensure safety; if not why not? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I am happy to have a look at it. The reality of course is that the police or escorting officers will determine the level of security that is required. I am assured that obviously the safety of the public is the priority. But as I said I will investigate the matter and get back to the member in due course. 
Brian Connell 
: Would the Minister like to withdraw the comments he made in a recent speech where he congratulated the Department of Corrections on “achieving the results you do” in the light of the 32 prison escapes since June of last year and the outcome of the Law and Order Committee investigation of the infamous “Goon Squad”; if not does this mean he is congratulating the department on those inadequacies? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: Certainly not. Actually the latest figures show that breakout escapes per 1000 inmates were less than one in the last year for which we have counted them. Under National it was around seven. So I think the department is doing pretty well. 
Katherine Rich 
: Why is there a policy not to handcuff prisoners on aircraft given that a prisoner was handcuffed during childbirth? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: The inmate was not handcuffed during childbirth. 
Katherine Rich 
: She was in labour. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: She was not handcuffed during childbirth. I have had considerable correspondence with that member on this issue. The facts have been pointed out to her. The inmate was not handcuffed during childbirth. 
Marc Alexander 
: Can the Minister deny that prisoners transferred on domestic flights often have convictions for violent crime and in some cases have a record of escaping from custody? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: No I cannot confirm or deny that. But the issue of the security of the public when prisoners are travelling on public transport such as that must be a priority and I will investigate it further. 
Marc Alexander 
: Why are thousands of dollars spent on transferring convicts to other prisons when the victims of crime have to fund their own transport to court hearings and Parole Board meetings which are often some distance from where they reside and what does this say about this Government’s view on the balance between victims’ and offenders’ rights? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: On the issue of victims of course we can all do better. But I hope the member will concede that this Government has done a lot for victims’ rights by enshrining them in legislation which is the first time it has been done. As far as transporting prisoners around the country is concerned sometimes that is a requirement for muster arrangements which are determined by the Department of Corrections. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Before I call the next question I want to point out to Ministers that the reason I go through the process of calling 
them is to enable time for their microphones to be turned on so that the hundreds of thousands of people listening are able to hear.