9. Question No. 9—CorrectionsHon SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel) to the Minister of CorrectionsQuestion No. 9—Corrections9. Hon SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel) to the Minister of Corrections: Is he confident that the Department of Corrections' policies are keeping New Zealanders safe from COVID-19; if so why?Hon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister of Corrections): Yes. As I outlined yesterday it was Corrections' health screening that helped us to identify that there was potential for COVID to have spread into the community. As I also noted yesterday while Corrections have strict policies in place to stop the spread of COVID-19 in prisons this case has identified that there are areas where we can look to create improvements around transportation. The transportation method in this case was outside of Corrections' control given the bail conditions were set by the courts. I can update that agencies and stakeholders including Corrections the Ministry of Social Development police the Ministry of Justice and managed isolation and quarantine are working at pace to strengthen processes following the Prime Minister's request that when people are released from prisons in COVID-19 alert levels 3 or 4 and need to cross a border into a lower alert level to get to their address someone from the lower alert level collects them from prison or that Corrections transport the individuals from the prison over the border. I have requested an update from my officials on this work as soon as possible.Hon Scott Simpson: So why was it that Corrections staff allowed a patched Black Power gang member to be permitted to be picked up by three individuals when his bail conditions clearly stated that a specified family member was to collect him from Mt Eden Corrections Facility and return to the upper Hauraki?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Upon release the court instructed that this person be picked up and transported by a specified individual. I'm advised the nominated individual was in the car which was in line with the bail conditions.Hon Scott Simpson: When were Corrections aware that the patched Black Power gang member breached his bail conditions by stopping at four separate locations on the way to his bailed address in the upper Hauraki and when did Corrections report this breach to police?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: There are about 1500 people on some form of electronic monitoring at any given time. Monitoring is not live tracked such as on an Uber app. However if a person were to breach an exclusion zone in line with their conditions this is flagged; if a person does not arrive at a destination within a certain time this is flagged. I'm advised the route this person took and the time it took to reach his destination were within the tolerances.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Point of order. The question was not about how"; the question was "when" and that was not addressed. SPEAKER: Well I'm not sure that a breach was established. I'll ask the member to ask the question again. Hon Scott Simpson: So again the question was: when were Corrections aware that the patched Black Power gang member breached his bail conditions by stopping at four separate locations on the way to his bailed address in the upper Hauraki and when did Corrections report this breach to the police?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I can repeat: I'm advised that the route this person took and the time it took to reach his destination were within the tolerances.SPEAKER: I'm with Mr Woodhouse on this one. I'm not convinced that the question has been answered. There are some specific facts that have been at least alleged and I think have been fairly well publicised about the individual stopping on the way. I am assuming that at least by reading the papers Corrections would be aware of it and I think it is for the Minister to answer that. It may be that it's a police matter and that's his response but I think the Minister should address the question.Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Oh yes. So it is a police—Hon Member: Oh how convenient—ha ha! Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Well it is for the police to monitor bail conditions but following the address being deemed unsuitable and the individual returning to custody and testing positive for COVID Corrections retrospectively looked at the electronic monitoring records. This is when they became aware. So they actually would have looked as soon as the address was unsuitable done some checks then and become aware that he had stopped at various places.Hon Scott Simpson: So has he had any conversations with the Minister of Police about why police did not arrest the prisoner after Corrections notified them of the bail breach?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Myself and the Minister of Police talk about a lot of issues all the time.Hon Scott Simpson: Does he therefore think it is unacceptable that no follow-up occurred for 11 days after the patched Black Power gang member breached his bail which as a result saw upper Hauraki placed into an alert level 4 lockdown?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Well again the route this person took and the time it took to reach his destination were within the tolerances."