Cosgrove Clayton: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Cosgrove Clayton: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:652;Page:1829] 
3.  
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE (Labour—Waimakariri) 
 to the  
Minister of Corrections 
: How many corrections facilities does she expect to be managed by the private sector within the term of this Government? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Corrections) 
: 
 No decisions have yet been made on the number of prisons that will be privately managed. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Does the Minister agree that the concept of Maori-only prisons is contrary to the concept of one rule for all? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: The issue of Maori-only prisons has not been raised with me before. 
Sandra Goudie 
: Why is the Government considering the private management of prisons? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: In order to deliver the best corrections service for New Zealand. This Government believes that we should not limit our choices. By changing the legislation to allow the private management of prisons we are giving ourselves a choice. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Does the Minister agree with the proposal of her Associate Minister the Hon Pita Sharples that the privatisation of prisons “could be a chance for jails to be tailor-made for Maori …”? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: Actually I agree that it would be an opportunity to bring about better outcomes for Maori because certainly in the Public Service right now we do not do well enough in corrections. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Tena koe Mr Speaker. Kia ora tatou. Can the Minister confirm that Maori organisations will be able to tender to manage privately managed prisons? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: Yes. All organisations with skills knowledge and experience in working with prisoners will be encouraged to tender. This will provide opportunities to Maori organisations that currently work with offenders to consider tendering to manage prisons. Joint ventures may also be considered where appropriate. 
Metiria Turei 
: Is GEO Group which ran the Auckland remand prison under National the same efficient and better-outcome-producing corporation that in the US put a female inmate in the same cell block as male inmates who then beat and raped her so that she later took her own life yet still made a very healthy profit of $61 million of public money? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: I am not aware of the situation to which that member refers but I would say that there is not a perfect record in publicly managed prisons in New Zealand. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Will specific standards and performance measures be able to be applied to each privately managed prison? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: Yes. A separate contract will be developed for each prison that is tendered for private management. In each contract specific standards and performance measures will be able to be developed to address the unique environment of each prison. For example specific standards and measures relating to outcome for Maori offenders who now make up over 50 percent of our prison population could be included in contracts. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Will she be discussing with her Associate Minister the Hon Pita Sharples the implementation of his proposals for Maori-only prisons? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: Mr Sharples has not raised that issue with me but I am always able to discuss matters with Mr Sharples at any time.