Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Helensville): Thank you very much Mr Chair for the opportunity to speak to the Corrections Amendment Bill at this committee stage. I'll just briefly preface my remarks by acknowledging those who work in the Auckland prison at Pāremoremo within my Helensville electorate. I've met with the Minister there on at least one occasion and also I'm taking the opportunity to visit various constituents who are situated there by choice and otherwise.The frame I suppose or the context of my consideration of this or other corrections bills other than of course general considerations relating to prisoners and those who are involved in the corrections system is whether the difficult and dangerous job of corrections officers is made easier or harder by the legislation that we are in the process of passing at least potentially. I'd like to focus on three aspects of Part 1 the first being the letter-writing provision at clause 27. The committee has already traversed some of the issues associated with the high profile recent case. I don't intend to cover that ground again. There's probably not much positive to be gained by me doing so. I will note however that I'm aware of at least one case of a constituent in my own electorate who was the recipient of a letter that had been written from a prisoner that was totally inappropriate under the old law and indeed the new. So I'd just note that with no particular political point to make. In fact I don't know whether that act occurred prior to or after the change of the last Government. It's irrelevant. But just to note the importance of the rules around letter writing from prisoners to the outside world particularly the disproportionate effect that that would have on those who will have a particular reason by way of their background having been a victim of a violent crime in this particular case. So notwithstanding recent lapses as already acknowledged on both sides of the Chamber it's positive if we can have some rules going forward that tighten further the requirements around prisoners' correspondence and the effect that those can have on the outside world. I'd also like to touch on the use of police jail cells. I understand the point that the Minister's making suggesting that it won't be necessary to resort to the use of jail cells in that remand sense. I would love for him to be correct for that never to be the case going forward but I fear unfortunately it might well be even if for no other reason than population increase that translates into an increase in criminal activity. Even if the rate of crime were to not go up then it would be at least potentially the case that we will continue to need to use police cells in the way that is contemplated in clauses 7 and 8. So I think it's a matter of prudent lawmaking that we actually provide a set of circumstances and safeguards so that in the situation should it occur in the future that police cells will be used in a way that is advantageous to consider effectively as Corrections prisons operated by the department we should have some good strong rules around that. I'll note in passing of course that the problem of muster pressures"—to use the phrase in the bill—is one that relates as well to a more general reform of longstanding issues. Again I don't make a partisan point in relation to the fact that it's a slow justice system in the criminal realm whereby prisoners on remand often spend long periods of time before coming to trial at which of course they might be found either innocent or guilty. So that is an area in which I urge more action from the Government than we have seen thus far. My final point within this five-minute call is simply to note the work that's been done in the area of mechanical restraints as they are described. I'm not particularly expert in this area but I've listened carefully to briefings that we've had from officials and other Government agencies outside of Corrections as well and note that it's important that our domestic law in these respects is consistent with our international obligations.So with that I say to the committee that the detail of this bill is hugely important for all kinds of reasons relating to the safety of all concerned and I join with my National Party colleagues in seeking that all these issues be addressed thoroughly as we proceed in this the committee stage and beyond."