Simon Power MP
National Party Justice & Corrections Spokesman
15 September 2008
Another prisoner taken on a private visit
Corrections Minister Phil Goff has further explaining to do after another prisoner was driven for a visit to a private
address while outside prison gates, says National's Justice & Corrections spokesman, Simon Power.
He is releasing an answer to a parliamentary question that shows a prison guard drove a prisoner to visit his partner in
Petone while he was being transported from Wellington Hospital to Rimutaka Prison.
"This is yet another embarrassing blunder by Corrections.
"Earlier this month, Phil Goff was forced to admit that four prisoners at Hawke's Bay Prison were allowed to visit
private addresses to drink alcohol, and one to see his girlfriend, while they were supposed to be on a release-to-work
programme.
"And now we have this incident.
"This is not good enough, and Phil Goff has more explaining to do.
"He needs to reassure the public that this sort of occurrence is not rife throughout the prison system - although after
yet another incident, such assurances seem less and less likely.
"Perhaps he should stick to sorting out these problems in Corrections before wading into the Justice portfolio that he
was moved on from three years ago."
ENDS