Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:632;Page:4422] 
10.  
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
 to the  
Minister of Corrections 
: He aha ta te Minita whakautu ki nga kitenga i panuitia i te Reo Irirangi o Waatea i tenei wiki e kii ana ko te ropu Te Ihi Tu o Taranaki ara he ropu e whai ana i nga tikanga me nga matapono Maori kua eke ki te whitu tekau ma toru o-rau tona angitu hei karo i te hokinga tuarua tuatoru tuangahuru aha ranei mo te hunga haratu whakawarawara? 
[ 
What response will the Minister make to the findings reported on Radio Waatea this week that Taranaki-based Te Ihi Tu Trust which operates under tikanga Maori principles is achieving a 73 percent success rate in its programme to prevent violent prisoners from reoffending? 
] 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Minister of Corrections) 
: 
 I am delighted with the findings and I am committed to furthering the success of rehabilitation programmes across the entire corrections system as is the Associate Minister the Hon Mita Ririnui. My department has advised me that it has confidence that the Te Ihi Tu programme is successful in reducing reoffending. There is currently an evaluation taking place to show evidence of that programme’s effectiveness. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: He aha tana whakamarama mo te noho pahikahika a-putea o Te Ihi Tu ara ko te tekau mano taara ki ia tangata hara engari ko te putea i etahi atu whare a-noho mo taua hunga ko Montgomery House i Kirikiriroa ko te rua tekau ma rua mano taara ke i Salisbury Tiriti i Otautahi ko te rua tekau mano ke? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
What explanation can he give for the disproportionate allocation of funding for Te Ihi Tu Trust at a cost of $13000 per offender when compared with the funding for the other two community residential centres for high-risk offenders—Montgomery House in Hamilton at a cost of $22000 per offender; and the Salisbury Street Foundation in Christchurch at a cost of $23000 
?] 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I am not familiar with the details of the contracts with those providers but the Department of Corrections negotiates with a large number of providers to provide rehabilitation and reintegration services. If there are problems with those contracts then I suggest those providers talk directly with—and I encourage them to do so—the department. 
Hone Harawira 
: Kua rongo ia i nga korero patipati o te Kaiwhakawa a Pateriki Toomey o te Poari Mauhere mo te taumata kua ekehia e Te Ihi Tu he mahi kia pai te tumanako me te patai hoki “ he aha nga mahi o tona Tari kia whakatinanatia i o ratou mahi rangatira i te mea torutoru noa iho nga tangata i tukuna atu ki taua kaupapa? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Is he aware of the glowing testimony from Judge Patrick Toomey of the Parole Board who has described the very successful outcomes of Te Ihi Tu Trust as “very encouraging” and what efforts will the department make to respond to this testimony in addressing the low referral rates to the programme? 
] 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I applaud some of the initiatives that are taking place for community rehabilitation and reintegration. I have stated on a number of occasions that the Department of Corrections is now focused far more on rehabilitation and reintegration. We will work with more providers to ensure that the people who go through our system do not reoffend and come back in. Those providers that can show they are successful will be supported and we will expand those programmes. 
Martin Gallagher 
: Has the Minister seen any reports on the success of the department’s efforts in rehabilitation and reintegration? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: Yes. I have seen reports showing that prisoners who complete the Te Piriti programme have a reconviction rate of just 5.47 percent. I have also seen growing evidence that training for employment and education can reduce reoffending. That is why I and the department are committed to boosting employment hours from currently 2.9 million to 4.1 million and lifting the number of New Zealand Qualifications Authority units attained from 4800 currently to 16600. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
:He aha nga korero kua korerohia me nga iwi o Taranaki mo nga whainga arotau mo Te Ihi Tu na runga i to ratou kore hiahia kia taea atu te hunga koeretanga ki te kore he aha ai? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
What consultation has been undertaken with Taranaki iwi on the eligibility criteria for Te Ihi Tu in light of their consistent preference to preclude any offender with prior sexual offences from the programme; if there has not been any why not? 
] 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I am aware that the programme struggled to fill the places early on. The criteria for eligibility for that have been changed. I am sure the Department of Corrections is happy to have ongoing discussions with the trust to expand the programme when it shows its success—as I am sure it will do from the current evaluation taking place.