Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:655;Page:4668] 
7.  
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Corrections 
: Does he agree with the intention of the Maori focus units that through developing a personal commitment to tikanga Maori values offenders become less criminally motivated; if so what plans has he to ensure the Maori focus units will become even more successful? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Associate Minister of Corrections) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Speaker. Tena tatou. Yes I do because the tikanga Maori programmes focus on manaakitanga which teaches offenders to care and share with each other; kotahitanga which creates unity as one group even over gang patches; and rangatiratanga which teaches them to respect individuals’ mana. So the Maori focus units are successful in that way. The guys are learning through their tikanga Maori. The basis of the report that has been produced will provide an opportunity to extend the services offered. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: What actions will the Associate Minister take to address the increasing concern amongst staff that the pool of funds available for prisoner tikanga Maori programmes and staff training is diminishing? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I have already met with the chief executive. We are using this report and targeting money in the best manner possible. I know that we have a lot of things we can do with the money that is there at this time. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: What advice did the Minister give to his colleague the Minister of Corrections in response to the container-room proposal? Will that approach aid prisoner rehabilitation or are containers intended to be the Government’s new-look Maori focus units? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I did not give the Minister any advice but I have seen the model based on containers. It is no better or worse than many cells that exist at this time. It is actually bigger than many of the cells in New Zealand’s prisons at this time and it is much better than a lot of them. 
Kelvin Davis 
: Can the Minister explain why yesterday at the Vote Corrections estimates hearing the Minister of Corrections Judith Collins said that she had not yet seen details of his Whare Oranga Ake proposal yet just hours later he was discussing the proposal on  
Close Up 
 or is this just another example of Cabinet Ministers not communicating with each other and keeping each other in the dark while they drum up support for their pet schemes? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: It is an example of the Minister’s confidence in her Associate Minister—me—to carry out this project. I have briefed her on it but in terms of the details the member is quite right she has not seen it. But officials up and down the country are working on it. Kia ora. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: What does the Minister think are the key success factors in rehabilitating Maori prisoners to reduce reoffending? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: What seems to be applicable for Maori inmates in particular is programmes of healing where they face their crime what they have done and realise that they have created victims and so on. A lot of people go through the prison system without having to do that. The second one is training inmates to enable them to take up a livelihood when they leave. The most important factor is whanau mentoring support when they leave prison. Lack of that support is one of the main reasons for recidivism. 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: When did the Associate Minister brief the Minister of Corrections on the details of this proposal? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I have spoken to her about it and brought it up a few times. She knows that it is different. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: When? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Now and again ever since I have been there. That is all we have done; we have talked about it. She said “Go ahead.” and I am going ahead and working with the departmental officers. Kia ora.