Collins Judith: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Collins Judith: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:674;Page:20396] 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Corrections) 
: 
 Thank you for the opportunity to speak in this debate in relation to Vote Corrections. I take the opportunity to thank the Law and Order Committee and the chair for the courtesy that was displayed to the Department of Corrections in the very long time it had with the committee—as I recall an hour and a half. It was interesting to hear the speaker who has just resumed his seat David Clendon make his comments about the Department of Corrections. I did not notice one question from his party in the transcript of the Law and Committee hearing in relation to the department—not one question to the department from that party. One has to wonder: if the Green members are suddenly so worried about the department and the imprisoning of people who are criminals then perhaps they should have asked at least a question. 
Can I also say that I would like to thank the staff of the Department of Corrections for the fantastic work they have done over the last 3 years—in particular their embracing of what I required from them which is excellence accountability and professionalism. They have come an awfully long way in a very short period of time. The first speaker on this vote Mrs Dean referred to the fact that for instance we now have no smoking in our prisons from 1 July. That is a testament to the work of the Department of Corrections staff; a year-long programme of getting people in the prisons to understand that it was simply not acceptable for our staff to have to put up with air conditions that were 12 times worse than those in a normal home of a smoker because of the fact that they were in a prison. They were the only people in New Zealand who were required to work in a smoke-filled environment not a smoke-free environment. I would like to thank the people who did give support to the department at that time. They did not do it all alone; they had tremendous support from the Ministry of Health and Quitline. Over 6000 prisoners are now using nicotine replacement therapy either by way of patches or lozenges and I would like to thank the partners that the Department of Corrections has worked with in this area. 
First off it is most important that I say that it is the staff who have made the big difference. They needed leadership and they needed to know we had confidence in them and they have repaid the people of New Zealand in spades. The public confidence in the Department of Corrections has gone up to 63 percent. The best it ever was under the previous Government was 40 percent. It has done a tremendous job. We have removed for instance things like razor blades from being stored in the cells of high-security prisoners. I listened to the previous speaker’s comments about the fact that prisons are terrible and they do not make people any better. What is the alternative—to leave them out there? Would people really like recidivist murderers whom we do have in our high security prisons left out in the community on home detention? 
David Clendon 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. It concerns the previous speaker from the Government Jacqui Dean and now the Minister of Corrections. You will correct me if I am wrong but I understand we are debating Vote Corrections. We are talking about the appropriation for this current financial year. What we are hearing is a great deal of history what has been done and some self-congratulatory statements— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: I thank the member for his comments. When we are on the estimates the member is correct. However members also have some licence to expand. Chairpersons over the period of the last few hours have allowed that to take place and I am continuing in that vein. I know the Minister will come back to the estimates and she has mentioned what was in the report. She mentioned that at the beginning and I am sure she will finish her last few minutes on that as well. 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: Thank you Mr Chairperson. Obviously those members do not like to get some answers back having asked all the questions. But of course the questions were asked today not at the time when they could have got answers directly from the Department of Corrections. I say to that member who obviously objects that 1 July is actually part of this financial year and if he has not worked that one out then I think he should go back to school or get into one of the numeracy programmes we have at the Department of Corrections. 
One of things that is really important in respect of the Department of Corrections is the case management model that it is introducing which is actually quite different from what was trialled in previous years which was to have Department of Corrections officers being case managers. The model is trying to address the issues we have of prisoners coming into the prisons and going through all sorts of programmes with their main concern being what programmes are available to them and not necessarily having a planned approach about what the best route through prison is for them in order to get them into a situation where they come out better than when they came into the corrections system. The new model will be very much based around having trained case managers working with prisoners as they come in looking to see what prisoners’ issues are. Do they have drug and alcohol addiction problems? Many will have. Can they read and write? After many years in the education system can they read and write? If not what can we do about it? 
I think it is also important to triage in terms of whether these people are willing to change. I do not believe we should go around with rose-coloured spectacles thinking that every prisoner is simply waiting for someone to love them care for them and hug them. Frankly I think that is a stupid view. It might be true for some but it is not true for recidivist violent offenders. However I think we can change people’s lives if they want to change and I am very pleased with the Department of Corrections for the work it has been doing.