Simon Power National Party Law & Order Spokesman
2 February 2006
Corrections' 'prudent' claim is a sad joke
A claim by the Corrections Department that it is a responsible user of economic resources would be funny if it did not
involve the cavalier use of public money, says National's Law & Order spokesman, Simon Power.
He is commenting on a Corrections statement that being chosen as a finalist in the Energywise Awards 'is recognition of
the hard work Corrections has put into ensuring it is a committed, responsible user of environmental, social and
economic resources.'
"You really have to question this claim by Corrections Chief Executive Barry Matthews.
"How can he say his department is a responsible user of economic resources when it is in the middle of a construction
budget blow-out of mammoth proportions that is the subject of a review by the State Services Commission and the
Treasury?
"In 2002 Mr Matthews' predecessor, Mark Byers, put a price tag of $400 million on the building of four new prisons, but
two weeks ago Minister Damien O'Connor said the cost would actually be $890 million.
"How does a $490 million miscalculation equate to being a responsible user of this country's economic resources?
"Each of those prisons was over budget by many tens of millions of dollars but the department still claims it is a
prudent manager.
"The department and this Minister have their heads buried in the sand," says Mr Power.
ENDS