Simpson Scott: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSimpson Scott: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 17 October 2013. Volume:694;Page:14014. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel) to theMinister of Corrections: What recent announcements has she made on improving the safety of Corrections staff?Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Corrections): Last week I announced plans to reduce assaults on corrections staff by 50 percent by 2015. This follows the development of a staff safety plan reviewed by an expert panel chaired by former Police Commissioner Howard Broad. Changes include increasing training and mentoring of new custodial staff piloting a mental health awareness programme for staff working in high-risk areas a safety training package for community-based staff and improving accessibility of handcuffs for custodial staff working in high-risk areas. Offenders can often be dangerous and unpredictable and this Government is committed to doing everything we can to ensure the safety of staff working in the corrections environment.Scott Simpson: What steps has the Government already taken to improve the safety of staff working with prisoners?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: This Government has supported a number of new measures to boost the safety of staff working in prisons. Last year the Sentencing (Aggravated Factors) Amendment Act 2012 was passed which made offending against a corrections officer a mandatory aggravating factor at sentencing. We have also introduced batons spit-hoods and stab-resistant vests for staff working in high-risk situations and we have given corrections officers access to pepper spray to use if required. Corrections has also invested in tactical communications and de-escalation training for all front-line prison staff to give them the skills they need to manage a volatile prisoner. Although it is impossible to eliminate all risks in prison this Government is making sure that staff have the skills to stay safe at work. I seek leave to table two documents that are not available publicly. These are internal documents. The first is a document entitledKeeping Each Other Safe: Staff Safety Plan 2013-2014—Mr SPEAKER: And the second document?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: The second is entitledEnsuring Personal Safety: A Guide for Corrections Staff.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table those two documents. Is there any objection? There is none. They can be tabled.Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House.Mr SPEAKER: Supplementary questionLe’aufa’amulia Asenati Lole-Taylor.Hon Member: Oh no!Le’aufa’amuliaAsenati Lole-Taylor: Oh yes. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! All members have a right to ask a supplementary question.Le’aufa’amulia Asenati Lole-Taylor: How can the Minister claim that the safety of corrections staff is being improved when there has been turnover of approximately over 65 percent in rehabilitation and reintegration case management staff in a central region prison since September last year as a result of bullying?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: I am not aware of those figures but I am aware that we have been increasingly concerned about staff safety over the last couple of years. That is why we have invested heavily in extra training last year and why the chief executive and I convened an expert panel to work with unions and staff throughout New Zealand to develop the staff safety plan. It is an important issue for our staff and we are determined to reduce those assaults by 50 percent over the next 2 years.