Clendon David: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeClendon David: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 23 July 2015. Volume:707;Page:5272. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]1.DAVID CLENDON (Green) to the Minister of Corrections: What specific events has he been made aware of at the SERCO-run Mt Eden Corrections Facility that could trigger a specific deduction from the performance-related fee and which of those events have resulted in a specific deduction?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Minister of Corrections): Some of the incidents include insufficient staffing levels mixing accused prisoners with other prisoners minimal entitlements and incident notification. In the financial year 2014-15 these deductions amounted to $300000.David Clendon: Given that there have been deductions why did the Minister only very recently praise Serco as “performing exceptionally”?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I said that statement with regard to the performance tables for prisons where they have been given an “exceptional” performance rating.David Clendon: At the Minister’s meeting with Serco today did they advise him of any additional incidents at Mt Eden Corrections Facility that may result in a deduction?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: No.David Clendon: Given that the Department of Corrections produced a report on fight club incidents over a year ago and given that the department reported on a dropping incident earlier this year yet the Minister knew nothing about it until last week will he concede that there is a dysfunctional relationship between him and his department?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: No I do not believe that there is a dysfunctional relationship but what I can say is that I expressed my disappointment to the department for not elevating that to the chief executive and me.Mahesh Bindra: Now that he is caught between his own career and Serco’s survival which will he choose?Hon Gerry Brownlee: No that’s not a reasonable question.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am going to listen to the question again please.Mahesh Bindra: Now that he is caught between his own career and Serco’s survival which will he choose?Mr SPEAKER: No I consider that that question has ministerial responsibility.Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Well I believe in my own career thank you very much.David Clendon: Does the Minister stand by his statement that Mt Eden Corrections Facility is “performing exceptionally” under Serco’s management; if so why?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: That performance table was in respect of the year ending 31 March 2015. However I did say to Serco in our meeting this morning that there was room for improvement and that it needed to improve its performance based on some of the evidence and incidents that we have seen in recent days.David Clendon: Will the Minister now guarantee that Serco’s contract for the management of Mt Eden Corrections Facility will be renewed?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: I cannot guarantee that that will happen. What I can say is that we will get the findings of the review in terms of the incidents that were reported and going forward we will make decisions that will be based on its performance.David Clendon: Why is Serco only on notice and not facing immediate cancellation of its contract following the death of a prisoner a prison riot video evidence of fight clubs evidence of the manufacture of alcohol and tobacco; or do they actually need to burn Mt Eden Corrections Facility down before the Minister will—Mr SPEAKER: Order!Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Well unlike the Green Party we believe that there is a process to follow—due process. There needs to be a review we need to get to the bottom of the facts around some of the incidents that we have seen in recent days and then we will make the appropriate decisions.