12. Question No. 12—CorrectionsSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of CorrectionsQuestion No. 12—Corrections12. SIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of Corrections: What reports if any has he seen of individuals transferred from COVID-19 managed isolation to a corrections facility who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19?Hon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister of Corrections): During the various alert levels I received daily updates from Corrections regarding their management and response to COVID-19. I was also kept up to date with the progress of one individual who was transferred from COVID-19 managed isolation into Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility at 6.38 p.m. on 29 April 2020.Simeon Brown: Did the positive test for COVID-19 for that individual come back before or after the individual was released from the Corrections facility?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: It may be helpful if I run through the time line of what happened to this particular woman. So she returned to New Zealand from the United States on 25 April 2020 and refused to comply with lockdown at her accommodation in Auckland. She had refused to cooperate with staff including submitting to a COVID-19 test. She was not presenting as symptomatic. She was remanded—in other words a judge made the decision—on two active charges of obstructing and hindering a medical officer of health. The prisoner was received into Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility at 6.38 p.m. on 29 April. A decision was made to quarantine rather than separate the prisoner based on the health risk she presented. On 5 May the prisoner was escorted to an audio-visual link (AVL) booth for a court appearance where she was remanded for a bail application on 6 May. On 6 May the prisoner was escorted again to the AVL booth for a court appearance where she refused to listen to the judge and her counsel. On 8 May at 2.40 p.m. the prisoner was escorted to the AVL booth for a court hearing and agreed to consent to the examination—in other words the COVID test. At 4.38 p.m. she was escorted to the receiving office and released on bail—another decision made by the judge—with the condition that she was to go with the Geneva Healthcare team to the Sebel Hotel in Manukau and then be transported by her mother to a bail address in Palmerston North. It's important to understand that the judge made the decision for her to be bailed and Corrections must comply with what the judge says.Hon David Bennett: That's because you tell them to.Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Now Mr Speaker I take offence at the member across the way David Bennett saying that I direct judges to do anything. I do not have that capacity that capability to direct judges to make decisions. [Interruption] What he is saying—and he has repeated it in this House—is an outright fabrication.Matt Doocey: The Minister doesn't direct anyone. Answer the question. SPEAKER: Before the member does the whip will stand withdraw and apologise.Matt Doocey: I withdraw and apologise.Simeon Brown: Did Corrections staff notify the court that the individual had not yet received the results of their COVID-19 test before the individual was released?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Corrections did what the judge required them to do.Simeon Brown: Is the Minister confident that there have been no additional cases of COVID-19 inside the Corrections facility due to this positive case?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I am extremely confident in the processes that Corrections took. The processes they put in place to manage COVID were exemplary. There were no cases other than this woman that came into Corrections. All staff were required to wear personal protective equipment. All people entering prison were kept separate. The fact that unlike jurisdictions overseas we have not had a case arise other than this one that was imported from the United States goes down to the great work that Corrections did to prevent the spread of COVID in our prisons.Ginny Andersen: What report if any has the Minister received on the way Corrections managed its response for COVID-19?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Corrections officers were part of our country's essential services during our response to COVID-19 and did a spectacular job. The Chief Ombudsman wrote to the chief executive of Corrections this week following organised visits and thanked them for keeping the inspectors safe. He shared that I have been very impressed by the cohesive and well-resourced response put in place to manage the impacts of COVID-19 in prisons. You and your staff are to be commended." As the Minister I commend them as well."