Lotu-Iiga Sam: Returning Offenders (Management and Information) Bill — First Reading Second Reading In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLotu-Iiga Sam: Returning Offenders (Management and Information) Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee[Sitting date: 17 November 2015. Volume:710;Page:8036. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Minister of Corrections): It is an honour to speak on this the Returning Offenders (Management and Information) Bill. Before I do though I must convey my thoughts and prayers to the people of Paris France and all those caught up in terrorist conflicts around the world.Returning to this bill can I congratulate the Minister of Justice the Hon Amy Adams on introducing this bill. It has taken some time to work through what are some complex issues. As she has already stated in her first reading speech it is about balancing the safety and security of the New Zealand public with individual liberties—as the last speaker Jacinda Ardern has mentioned—but it is also in response to the changes in immigration laws in Australia.This has been a process where we have been working alongside our colleagues in Australia as well as the officials in order to bring about a framework for change that will be enduring and lasting. Department of Corrections officials have formed part of that group and have visited Canberra. I was in Australia in July when we signed a memorandum of cooperation in order for the sharing of the information from the states through to our Department of Corrections here in New Zealand to ensure that that cooperation and that level of collaboration is expected and it certainly is required.At present the vast majority of deported offenders are not subject to any formal management on their return to New Zealand. This has been the case as the Minister stated over a number of years. So this is the first Government—the first Government—to intervene and to respond to this need. What it does is solve this problem by giving the Department of Corrections and the police the powers that are necessary to supervise these deported offenders on their return to New Zealand. That will be consistent with the approach that we take to managing released prisoners from New Zealand’s own prisons. It does that by allowing corrections officers to manage the risk that these people pose to the public. A number of these offenders have been convicted of serious crimes and the Government’s duty is to protect our citizens from harm and that is what this bill is about.The last speaker did talk about protecting the rights of these deported offenders and these criminals in terms of their citizenship rights. Well it was the Labour Government that was part of the agreement with the Australian Government to curtail some of the rights of New Zealanders in Australia. So she knows that we know that and the people of New Zealand know that.I think the second point to make around some of these deported offenders is you know if they do not want to give up some of their rights in Australia then do not commit the crimes. Do not commit the crimes—is that something simple to ask of some of these offenders?Hon Dr Nick Smith: It’s a very good point.Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Well I think it should be made Dr Smith. I think you know you give up some of your rights when you commit crimes.In terms of the reintegration services corrections officers are working alongside organisations like New Zealand People at Risk Solutions Goodwood Park and the Manukau Urban Māori Authority in order to provide some of these social services and it is a collaboration within Government. So the Department of Corrections will work alongside the police and will work alongside the Ministry of Justice as well as the Ministry of Social Development to provide some of the services that these returning offenders may require. But we cannot compel them to take up those services because obviously they are citizens returning to New Zealand who have the ability to choose to take up those services or not.As the Minister has already said the length of the supervision period provided by the bill is clearly linked to the length of the prison sentence imposed on the deported offenders in those overseas jurisdictions. So the longer the prison sentence overseas the longer that period will be on their return to New Zealand. So for example those on life sentences can be managed for up to 5 years out here in New Zealand. Eligible deported offenders will be subject to standard release conditions which are the same as those currently used to manage prisoners in New Zealand.In addition—and I think this is a really important clause within the bill—the Department of Corrections will be able to apply to the courts for the imposition of special conditions on deported offenders where it will help to reduce reoffending and enhance public safety. I think the last member who spoke should consider that point and consider the fact that the department through its chief executive can apply to the courts for special conditions to be imposed. One of the conditions for example can be the imposition of electronic monitoring where it is deemed necessary.This bill complements some of the changes made in late December 2014 to enhance the extended supervision orders and introduce public protection orders. I know there have been some questions regarding the use of those orders but there is a high threshold. Those changes were made to meet the need for those particularly high-risk individuals who do require extra supervision. So this bill provides for the Department of Corrections to apply for those extended supervision orders and public protection orders where appropriate.I just want to sum up by saying there is an increased number of deported offenders arriving not just from Australia but from around the world—250 to 300 per year. I believe that this bill is an appropriate response to that need to particularly supervise those deported offenders who are high risk who return to our shores. It is about supervision and it is about monitoring but it is also about rehabilitation and reintegration and that is why the support services and the Department of Corrections will be working alongside a number of Government agencies and also a number of NGOs that do fine work in the community to help these offenders reintegrate and rehabilitate as part of their release into the community.That is why this bill provides the Department of Corrections and the police with the powers to manage some of those risks to the public posed by deported offenders. It is about offenders’ rights versus public security but I will always come down in support of public security and public safety. I commend this bill to the House.