Bindra Mahesh: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBindra Mahesh: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 April 2015. Volume:704;Page:2884. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.MAHESH BINDRA (NZ First)to the Minister of Corrections: Does he stand by all his answers given to the House on 1 April 2015?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Minister of Corrections):Yes including the answer that our Government has rolled out stab-resistant body armour spit-hoods batons pepper spray and extensive training on de-escalation techniques to front-line officers. These resources were not available under the previous Labour - New Zealand First Government and for the benefit of Mr Mark that was foolish.Mahesh Bindra: Does he stand by his answer that “Over the last few years the Government has introduced stab-resistant body armour spit-hoods batons and pepper spray progressively from 2010.”?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: For the benefit of the member again yes.Mahesh Bindra: Was it an April Fool’s Day joke that batons have been introduced to New Zealand’s corrections facilities since 2010; if not which prisons have them and where are they stored apart from in the prison museum? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Did the Minister not hear the question correctly?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I did not hear about half of that.Mr SPEAKER: I am going to ask the member to repeat the question. It is very hard to hear the member. Could he repeat the question and could I have a little less noise from my right-hand side.Mahesh Bindra: Was it an April Fool’s Day joke that batons have been introduced to New Zealand’s corrections facilities since 2010; if not which prisons have them and where are they stored apart from in the prison museum?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Sorry I beg your forbearance Mr Speaker. Could he please repeat that again? This is genuine. I—Mr SPEAKER: All he wants to know is which prisons use batons—I think that is the essence of the question. I will allow the member for the last time to read the question. If the Minister has not heard it then we are going to have to move forward.Mahesh Bindra: Thank you Mr Speaker—I hope this is clearer this time.Mr SPEAKER: So do I.Mahesh Bindra: Was it an April Fool’s Day joke that batons have been introduced to New Zealand’s corrections facilities since 2010; if not which prisons have them and where are they stored apart from in the prison museum?Mr SPEAKER: There are three questions. The Minister has the ability to answer any one of those.Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Well this sounds like an April Fool’s Day question. The answer to the first part is no.Mahesh Bindra: Does he stand by his statement yesterday that the privately run Mt Eden Corrections Facility is “one of the highest performing prisons in New Zealand”; if so did he mean that out of all the prisons in New Zealand it has the highest proportion of prisoner-on-staff assaults in both the serious and non-serious categories?Mr SPEAKER: The Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga—either of those two questions.Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Look the answer to the first part is yes. As I said yesterday to the member and I will repeat it again it is the top prison performer on the prison performance table which measures core security internal procedures and rehabilitation. Thank you.