Sharples Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Sharples Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:631;Page:2983] 
4.  
Dr PITA SHARPLES (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
 to the  
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF) 
: What progress has been achieved in confirming a preferred site for a youth justice residence in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato area? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF)) 
: 
 In February of last year I established a group to look for a site for a youth justice residence in the Waikato - Bay of Plenty area. In November of last year the group recommended Kaharoa as the preferred site. Submissions from the community were received until 18 March and at the request both of Kaharoa residents and the local member of Parliament Steve Chadwick alternative sites were also pursued. Between now and September all feasible sites will be investigated and following that public consultation on a preferred site will recommence. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: What developments occurred in the 9-month period between March 2005 when construction costs for the Te Wairenga Road site in Kaharoa were projected at $30 million and November 2005 when the facility was estimated to cost $40 million to build and what services were sacrificed in the vital area of youth care and protection in order to cover the shortfall of $10 million? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: There were a number of contributing factors to the increase in cost. Fortunately there is a proper process for public consultation to be gone through. That time delay means that those costs often accumulate. Because the site has not been signed off no services have actually been lost at all in the youth justice area. 
Steve Chadwick 
: What opportunity has the local community had to contribute to the selection of a suitable site? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: The department has gone through an extensive public consultation process to identify a suitable site in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato area. In response to the number of submissions received on this issue and at the request of the local community and the member asking the question I extended the consultation period on the preferred site and agreed to further investigate alternative sites. 
Judith Collins 
: Can the Minister assure the House that the department has not adopted the collaborative working arrangements model used so unsuccessfully by the Department of Corrections in its prison building? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No. 
Ron Mark 
: What confidence can the people of Kaharoa have in this consultation process knowing that the land at Te Waerenga Road has already been purchased? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Not only is it the absolutely accepted process but it is also common sense that before a preferred site is announced the land is purchased. Otherwise the price would go up. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: What is the average length of stay for someone on remand in youth justice facilities; and what plans are in place to remedy that situation given the concern over young people being remanded in police cells? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: There are two parts to the answer. In response to the former question my understanding is that it is 6 weeks. In answer to the latter I tell the member that young people are generally not remanded in police cells. They generally stay in police cells because there is no alternative suitable facility for them to stay in—and that is not acceptable. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: What preparations are taking place for the Kaharoa facility to respond to Ron Mark’s “Putting Children in Jail Bill” given I am advised that 12-year-old children are already locked up in the Department of Child Youth and Family Services’ Korowai Manaaki Youth Justice North Centre in Manurewa? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Yes indeed there are children detained at the facility. But in relation to the primary part of the member’s question I say that no action is being taken on the Kaharoa site at the moment because it has not been decided that that will be where any future youth justice facility is located. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: I seek leave to table an article from  
Rotorua Review 
 on 1 March 2005 about the Bay of Plenty entitled “Rotorua area penned in for prison ‘site’?”. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is. 
Dr Pita Sharples 
: I seek leave to table an article from the  
Daily Post  
from 23 November 2005 “$1 million paid for controversial youth prison site”. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is.