Serco, Lotu-Iiga and the death of Nick Evans

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 am, July 23rd, 2015 - 69 comments
Categories: Judith Collins, national, national/act government, Politics, privatisation, Public Private Partnerships, same old national, the praiseworthy and the pitiful - Tags: , , ,

National’s ideological blindspot is that it believes that private enterprise is better than the state, every time.  Recent news about Serco suggests very strongly that this is not so.

The privatisation of Auckland’s remand prison system was based on the premise that private enterprise can do just as well as the Corrections Department but more cheaply and with improved results.  National has talked up Serco for quite a while.

Before her unfortunate fall from grace then Minister of Corrections Judith Collins said this about Serco’s appointment to run Auckland’s remand prison:

The appointment of Serco as the contract manager for Mt Eden/ACRP will bring in new ideas and international best practice which will benefit the entire corrections sector.

Serco has a strong track record in managing prisons. I’m confident that the company will bring the high standards of professionalism, safety, rehabilitation and security expected by the Government to Mt Eden/ACRP.

Judith may wish to review her confidence.  The treatment of Nick Evans suggests that the prison is neither safe nor secure.

Kelvin Davis has done sterling work on the issue and yesterday had a National Minister as compromised on an issue as I have ever seen.  Peseta Sam Lotu Iiga was literally on the ropes.  He was clearly dodging when he answered the question about when he first knew about Nick Evans’ dropping by answering a completely different question about when he learned about Evans’s death and looked really awkward.  Chris Hipkins was rightfully upset at Carter’s protection of the Minister.

But the Government’s denials are looking desperate.  In yet another case of see no evil the Government’s standard response is that the various allegations of fights, drug and alcohol taking and possession of cellphones all backed up by physical evidence are “unproven”.  From Stuff:

Under fire Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga insisted on Wednesday the claims were unproven but admitted he had heard “rumours and allegations” about the death.

He was unable to say when he first heard those rumours but confirmed no action had been taken to refer the matter to police.

“[There was] Kelvin Davis’s allegation about this during the week but I’ve heard all sorts of rumours about this death and I’ve said to my officials ‘get to the bottom of it, let’s have an inquiry, an investigation’.”

Lotu-Iiga said any decision on a police investigation may be dependent on the outcome of a coroner’s inquiry and investigation by the chief prisons inspector.

Serco and the minister have both denied any knowledge of a practice called “dropping” – and say the first they heard about it was this week.

But it has now emerged that Lotu-Iiga was grilled about the practice by Davis at a parliamentary select committee hearing weeks ago.

A transcript of proceedings show Lotu-Iiga was told by Davis: “There’s this guy that passed away recently…apparently he had a ruptured lung. I’ve asked ‘how do you get a ruptured lung? It’s often from a high impact collision and there’s accusations that prisoners have been thrown off balconies and then they’re getting transferred out of Mt Eden correctional facility.”

Asked on Wednesday about that transcript, Lotu-Iiga appeared to have no recollection of the exchange.

And an allegation has been made that news of a riot has been hushed up.  Again from Stuff:

There are also allegations of a riot that was hushed up – which Lotu-Iiga also denied on Wednesday.

But he confirmed there had been an “incident” which required the Corrections “advance response team” to enter Mt Eden and take control.

“They [the prisoners] were barricading themselves in with hoses….ultimately the prisoners gave up and it was dealt with.”

He rejected suggestions Serco had failed to report it as a riot because that would have incurred financial penalties.

The basic problem is that Serco’s business model is to save costs by having lower staff levels than state run prisons.  In state prisons there is a requirement of having one guard for every 15 prisoners.  In Serco the standard requirement is one for every 23 prisoners but if a guard is ill there is not necessarily any cover.  This Radio New Zealand post from November last year indicates that Corrections Association president Bevan Hanlon has witnessed prison wings with one staff member supervising 90 prisoners.

The article also suggests that Lotu Iiga’s claims that ACRP’s performance was good is not correct.

Figures obtained by Radio New Zealand show that in the 12 months to June there were 139 fights between prisoners and 26 assaults on guards.

There were 141 prisoner assaults in 2013 and 149 in 2012. There were also 39 assaults on guards in the 12 months to June 2013, and 22 attacks in 2012.

Mt Eden has the capacity to house 966 prisoners. By comparison, Christchurch Prison has 926 inmates and reported 83 assaults last year.

The Corrections Association and the Public Service Association, which both represent prison officers working at Mt Eden prison, said the figures proved what they had long been saying: that there were simply not enough staff to keep themselves and inmates safe.

The stench of a coverup is strong and Serco’s continued involvement in our Corrections System has to be questioned.  Despite a young man dying of an injury consistent with trauma police have not as yet been asked to investigate the death.  Lotu-Iiga is all at sea trying to explain why he has made the most basic of inquiries.  And why someone was transferred out of Serco’s custody clearly while suffering from life threatening injuries needs full and proper investigation.

69 comments on “Serco, Lotu-Iiga and the death of Nick Evans ”

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  1. marty mars 1
    23 July 2015 at 10:04 am

    Good post – Serco must go!!! The minister must go!!! and I feel a bit queasy saying it – good on you Kelvin.

  2. maui 2
    23 July 2015 at 10:07 am

    Video link not working.

    [Should be fine now – MS]

  3. Huginn 3
    23 July 2015 at 10:16 am

    The ride from Mt Eden Prison to Ngawha takes nearly 4 hours – half a day. That’s how long it took private sector contractor Serco, greedy for profit – to literally transfer its risk back into the public sector.

    This is awful. My thoughts are with Nick Evans’ family and loved ones.

    • Atiawa 3.1
      23 July 2015 at 11:15 am

      It’s the same old story of privatizing the profits and nationalizing the losses.

      • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1
        23 July 2015 at 2:29 pm

        Which, of course, is why Judith Collins won’t be reviewing her confidence. Privatisation guarantees private profits and so National will keep on doing it no matter how bad things get.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 3.2
      23 July 2015 at 2:50 pm

      Crimes Act 1961, Section 195A. Failure to protect child or vulnerable adult.

      Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years who, being a person described in subsection (2), has frequent contact with a child or vulnerable adult (the victim) and—
      (a) knows that the victim is at risk of death, grievous bodily harm, or sexual assault as the result of—
      (i) an unlawful act by another person; or
      (ii) an omission by another person to discharge or perform a legal duty if, in the circumstances, that omission is a major departure from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person to whom that legal duty applies; and
      (b) fails to take reasonable steps to protect the victim from that risk.
      (2) The persons are—
      (a) a member of the same household as the victim; or
      (b) a person who is a staff member of any hospital, institution, or residence where the victim resides…

      Not calling an ambulance, for example.

  4. Clemgeopin 4
    23 July 2015 at 10:34 am

    Corrections Minister keeps giving stupid excuses and is still trying to pass the buck, showing his shocking incompetence.

    Henry-Davis
    http://www.3news.co.nz/TVShows/PaulHenry
    —————–
    Henry-Sam
    http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/paulhenry/corrections-minister-to-ask-serco-serious-questions-2015072307#axzz3ges1QjCQ

    [Thanks Clemgeopin looks like the interview with Kelvin is at http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/kelvin-davis-prison-dropping-tip-of-the-iceberg-2015072209#axzz3gfBQNTW3 – MS]

    • Bob 4.1
      23 July 2015 at 10:56 am

      You know Sam Lotu-Iiga is in serious trouble when he has now been completely owned in interviews with Sean Plunkett, Mike Hosking and Paul Henry!
      He will be gone by tomorrow unless he actually manages to hold Serco to account today.

      My thoughts are with the family of Nick Evans.

    • Clemgeopin 4.2
      23 July 2015 at 11:04 am

      Yes, thanks. Previously, my link was taking to where you are pointing.

    • Malconz 4.3
      23 July 2015 at 11:04 am

      The government’s constant line is that Labour is “just playing politics,” and “where’s the evidence?” Excuse me Minister, it’s YOUR effing job to produce the evidence after you’ve been alerted to an appalling situation! Jeez, they’re a pathetic bunch.

      • Bob 4.3.1
        23 July 2015 at 11:24 am

        That’s a bit simplistic Malconz, the Minister has been alerted to 2 situations where prisoners have been ‘dropped’, one resulting in injuries that have presumably (still awaiting coroners report, but either way the act is reprehensible) lead to a death, the other lead to two broken legs.
        Kelvin Davis has claimed ‘dropping’ is wide spread and commonplace, Serco has told the minister there have only been 2 accounts of this happening and if it was widespread they would have a number of lower limb injuries coming to their attention, which they have not. If these are the only two acts that have occurred there is no further evidence to find, so it is on Kelvin Davis to back up his unsubstantiated claims!

        Don’t get me wrong here, Sam Lotu-Iiga should be sacked as Corrections Minister over his mishandling of the whole situation around prisoners in Serco run prisons being able to run amok, and the fact he hasn’t held Serco to account for a riot last year, but in this case it is on Kelvin Davis to produce evidence around widespread ‘dropping’, or at least obtain a signed affidavit from a witness of these accounts, so he can categorically state there have been more than just the two cases Serco have admitted too.

        • mickysavage 4.3.1.1
          23 July 2015 at 11:27 am

          I regret that a signed affidavit from Nick Evans is not possible.

          And Davis made a very good point. This Government is that vindictive do you think that people would willingly disclose their identity?

          • Bob 4.3.1.1.1
            23 July 2015 at 12:44 pm

            I wasn’t saying he should release a signed affidavit from Nick Evans, Kelvin Davis has said ‘dropping’ is commonplace at Mt Eden, he said he has a source who is an “upstanding member of society” for this, obtain a signed affidavit from his source then release the details with his sources details redacted, it’s not rocket surgery.
            I understand why someone would be hesitant to help out the Labour Party (look at the Barfoot and Thompson worker), but Kelvin Davis is making unsubstantiated claims about Serco, Serco denies those claims, Malconz thinks it is up to the Minister to come up with evidence for something there is no proof is actually widespread, I disagree.
            It ‘is’ the ministers job to find out what happened to Nick Evans and hold the party/parties responsible for what happened to account, it ‘is’ the ministers job to follow up on the fight club’ videos, the cigarettes, the alcohol and the use of mobile phones by prisoners. It ‘is’ the Ministers job to follow up on claims of a riot in a Serco facility. On many of these the Minister has been shown to be out of his depth and should be removed from the portfolio, but it is not his job to go on wild goose chases because Kelvin Davis heard that something from an unknown source.

            Also, do you think it is just this Government that is vindictive?

  5. Karen 5
    23 July 2015 at 11:21 am

    There will be a protest against SERCO outside Mt Eden Prison at 11am on 1 August (Saturday).

  6. Clemgeopin 6
    23 July 2015 at 11:34 am

    Corrections boss says ‘prisoner-fell-was-not-dropped’

    “The Inspectorate concluded that the prisoner fell as a result of being chased by another offender who then physically assaulted the prisoner. There was no suggestion made in the report of any practice of ‘dropping’.

    “He was hospitalised, treated and returned to prison,” Smith said.
    Corrections National Office were informed of the incident within 24 hours and an investigation found “no evidence” that prison staff were “aware that the prisoner’s welfare was at risk prior to their officer witnessing him fall over the balustrade and being chased by another prisoner”.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/70472683/prisoner-fell-was-not-dropped–corrections-boss

    • McFlock 6.1
      23 July 2015 at 11:44 am

      “Fell” while being chased by another inmate.
      Even if the semantic distinction of the event is accurate, it still shows that serco can’t keep their prisoners safe.

      So a nice PR / cover-their-arse distraction attempt.

    • BM 6.2
      23 July 2015 at 11:52 am

      Guy gets beaten up in prison, that’s never happened before.

      I don’t see much of a story here, I do see Labour politicizing the death of some guy though.

      Racist hit piece, now this, stay classy Labour.

      • maui 6.2.1
        23 July 2015 at 12:10 pm

        Let’s delete the incident from our memory banks then. No death, no problem. Serco delivers inmates flowers every morning through their cell door while Valerie Adams, the chief warden, oversees the tightly run ship.

        • Puckish Rogue 6.2.1.1
          23 July 2015 at 12:41 pm

          Remember Liam Ashley? Stuff like this happens in prisons whether they’re privately run or union run (which is what this about really) so really not a big deal

          but hey anything to take the heat away from Labour eh

          • joe90 6.2.1.1.1
            23 July 2015 at 12:49 pm

            Remember Chubb Security….

            • Puckish Rogue 6.2.1.1.1.1
              23 July 2015 at 12:56 pm

              Yes I do, do you?

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Liam_Ashley

              In 2007, John Belgrave, New Zealand Chief Ombudsman, and Mel Smith, the ombudsman of the Corrections Department, conducted an inquiry into the department’s policy for transporting prisoners.Belgrave described the Corrections’ prisoner transport policies as “inhumane”, and ordered a review of the system.After publication of the report, Simon Power, a Justice & Corrections spokesman, asked O’Connor to resign due to the shortcomings in his department, though he stopped short of saying that O’Connor was directly responsible for Ashley’s death. Power criticized the system for failing to keep Ashley, a first time offender, and Baker, a high-risk prisoner, separated.

              • dukeofurl …
                23 July 2015 at 2:11 pm

                Have you missed the point.
                The prison van was operated by Chubb.

                So we are down to incidents that happened under a private operator being blamed on the public corrections.
                You’re a magician , Sammy needs you quick smart.

                • Puckish Rogue …
                  23 July 2015 at 2:27 pm

                  No, they were operating under contract and I’ll bet that Chubb didn’t set out the conditions of the contract

                  • mickysavage …
                    23 July 2015 at 2:29 pm

                    So are Serco. Can you not see that Ashley’s death is another example of why private enterprise should have nothing to do with corrections?

                    • McFlock …
                      23 July 2015 at 2:51 pm

                      Stop diverting, ms. The entire point of this and all threads is “Labour did it too” /sarc

                  • maui …
                    23 July 2015 at 6:45 pm

                    Here’s a breach of that contract you were talking about:

                    13. The non seperation of Baker as a Prisoner at Risk in accordance with the contract requirements (schedule 2, Service Description 6.1.9 – Separation of Groups of Prisoners) provided the ability for Liam and Baker to communicate during transportation both to and from Court on 24 August 2006.

          • Galeandra 6.2.1.1.2
            23 July 2015 at 2:31 pm

            To ‘Puckish Rogue’ a man’s death is merely one more in a galaxy of violent prison incidents “so really not a big deal….” and pursued by opposition parties led by Labour only as part of a political agenda. ie you feel free to judge other’s motives by assessing only your own.You really are a moral lowlife.

            Deconstructing your avatar reveals clearly the poseur you are. Uncle reveals himself as a twerp.

            BTW the philosophical issue regarding the management of prisons isn’t a matter about whether they’re privately run or UNION run. It’s about the role of the STATE in dealing with transgression while it protects, rehabilitates and ensures justice both for offenders and the society they spring from. Spot the difference?

            Unionism is a matter quite aside from the issue of this man’s death, though no doubt the politics of this r w government could be held to be the ultimate cause. But what do you care, eh?

      • Crashcart 6.2.2
        23 July 2015 at 12:49 pm

        Dissmissing this incident with “Guy gets beaten up in prison, that’s never happened before” is exactly what I would expect from a supporter of the current government.

        It goes hand in hand with house prices go up, thats never happened before.

        Are you the kind of guy who gets up in the morning and goes “well I could have a shower and put on clean clothes but fuck it everything will just get dirty again”?

        I thought private enterprise was all about continuos improvement.

        • Puckish Rogue 6.2.2.1
          23 July 2015 at 1:03 pm

          If you think this has nothing to do with politics (privitisation = bad, unions = good and quick we need an issue to take peoples minds of our racism) then you must be seriously deluded

          • weizguy 6.2.2.1.1
            23 July 2015 at 1:38 pm

            This has a lot to do with privatisation. The Government were told that privatisation of prison services was a bad idea. They were provided the evidence of why it doesn’t work in the justice sector. They did it anyway.

            Live by the sword, die by the sword.

            There is a lot more to come out here. SERCO has been hiding things from Corrections. Corrections has been hiding things from the Minister. The MInister has been hiding things from the public. If it’s just the Minister that goes, there will be a great number of people counting their lucky stars.

            • Puckish Rogue 6.2.2.1.1.1
              23 July 2015 at 1:56 pm

              Well according to that well-known supporter of National/Act Willy Jackson this is not new, has nothing to do with privatisation and was worse decades ago in comparison to now

              • dukeofurl …
                23 July 2015 at 2:15 pm

                Willy has to keep the bread buttered. Thats been obvious for some time.

                The real issue is the cover up to make Serco look great.

                That’s the real reason Sammy is saying rumour and innuendo one day and its verified by his prisons boss the next.

              • Saarbo …
                23 July 2015 at 9:44 pm

                Stop fighting PR, you just got “owned”.

        • Henry Filth 6.2.2.2
          24 July 2015 at 6:07 am

          Private enterprise is about providing a product or a service and

          A) making money from it

          B) making the product or service good enough to make the buyer want to come back for more.

          I should imagine that SERCO are making money.

          I should NOT imagine that the New Zealand government would want to come back for more. I really shouldn’t. But I’m not holding my breath. . .

      • Skinny 6.2.3
        23 July 2015 at 1:33 pm

        Meanwhile today Slugger Bill English says “the state shouldn’t be running business interests.” I guess he means hand more over to the International traveling circus Serco? Lol classic!

        • dukeofurl 6.2.3.1
          23 July 2015 at 2:17 pm

          Why the hell was the taxpayer through its Landcorp bought in to milk cows for Shanghai Pengxin ?

          Bills a laugh when he says that stuff.

      • adam 6.2.4
        23 July 2015 at 8:05 pm

        BM are you saying that death in custody is now acceptable?

        All of the opposition are politicizing a death in custody. Poignant, as the company that held the duty of care, has had many other individuals die, and other still be injured in their custody. Just do a search of their name – it might just disturbed you. I know wishful thinking.

        Needless death, is just that needless. Any opposition worth it’s salt, would call in to question the events and circumstances around this tragedy. Try empathy for once BM, or do you have no moral compass?

      • mickysavage 6.2.5
        23 July 2015 at 8:08 pm

        Guy gets beaten up in prison, that’s never happened before.

        I don’t see much of a story here, I do see Labour politicizing the death of some guy though.

        Keep it up BM. You know the problem with your complete intolerance? That guy had family of all different sorts and sizes. Who knows, one of his relatives may have been a strong National supporter who is now questioning his choices.

      • Tricledrown 6.2.6
        23 July 2015 at 8:23 pm

        Where McCready he should prosecute
        The National govt.for being Accessories to a Murder.
        If this was your average Joe blogs on the St or anyone else the police would have no hesitation in arresting interviewing and charging anyone trying to coverup a Murder.

      • Tricledrown 6.2.7
        23 July 2015 at 8:46 pm

        Questions now have 5o be asked about any donations Serco have made to the National Party as Serco has made donations to the Tories in the UK.
        And how many shares are held by National party members and MP’s
        It’s unbelievable that a company bidding for govt contracts is allowed to donate to the party awarding them contracts.

    • weizguy 6.3
      23 July 2015 at 11:55 am

      I’m sure there will be CCTV footage to that effect. I await the release of said footage. Until then, I’m sceptical.

      As for the veracity of the reports…

    • maui 6.4
      23 July 2015 at 12:00 pm

      I’d take them at their word at that, it’s not like their prison has an issue with reliability… no contraband phones, alcohol getting in, or organised fighting between inmates, or even rumours of dropping inmates… oh wait

    • freedom 6.5
      23 July 2015 at 12:48 pm

      The article has been updated and it is now clear the Correction’s boss, when making reference to a prisoner ‘falling’ from the balcony and being hospitalised before returning to prison, is in relation to the reports of a prisoner breaking his legs, not the incident leading to the death of Evans.

  7. Adrian 7
    23 July 2015 at 11:41 am

    What pisses me off is the lazy reporting that passes for journalism here. Look up ” Can n Winston Churchills Grandson Save Serco? ” . It’s a Guardian article from last month which details exactly how completely inept and corrupt Serco is world wide. It’s also on the brink of collapse facing court cases and inquiries everywhere.
    We should know this shit.
    Why none of this is public knowledge in NZ is beyond me, it’s only a click away, admittedly I was lucky to see it while in the UK.
    God, if only we had a paper like that here.

    • Steve Reeves 7.1
      23 July 2015 at 12:15 pm

      Well, it’s getting closer 🙂 The Guardian has done a huge job on research and reporting in the health scandal (private provider…) in the detention camps in Aus.

      So, only The Tasman to get over now…

  8. Keith 8
    23 July 2015 at 12:37 pm

    Is Nationals basic strategy of lying to make this go away really going to achieve the results needed to stop this horror? No!

  9. Keith 9
    23 July 2015 at 12:42 pm

    Why does this jail have elevated landings that people can fall from?

  10. CnrJoe 10
    23 July 2015 at 12:50 pm

    please delete this moderator but – 3rd last line of the post

    “Lout-Iiga is all at sea trying to explain why he has made the most basic of inquiries.”

    I like the lout bit but it reads to me like a typo?

    [Fixed thanks and yes it was a typo 😀 – MS]

    • Ed 10.1
      23 July 2015 at 2:07 pm

      Is he really having trouble explaining why he has made the most basic of inquiries, or should it be why he has _not_ made the most basic of inquiries?

  11. Mick 11
    23 July 2015 at 1:46 pm

    it is not a blind spot. it is deliberately farming out the prerogatives of the state to private enterprise.
    tax farming will be next

  12. Draco T Bastard 12
    23 July 2015 at 2:20 pm

    Yeah, according to Chris Hipkins:

    Oh my goodness. Sam Lotu-Iiga just told the House he rates his own career survival more important than sorting out Serco. Seriously!

    • dukeofurl 12.1
      23 July 2015 at 4:40 pm

      Didnt he say yesterday , there was evidence of leg injuries ?

      Today we have evidence of leg injuries

      “Private prison operator Serco has been accused of a “cover up” after it attempted to keep from the public details about an inmate who suffered two broken legs.”

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11485646

      The day previous there was no evidence of ‘dropping’ from balconies, then there was evidence of injuries but claims he ‘slipped over’

      Everyone knows inside the prison, no matter how bad you are hurt, you never rat on them, as you are targeted as a nark for ever.

  13. tc 13
    23 July 2015 at 2:31 pm

    He’s already double dipped as an MP and akl city councillor pre supershity and fibbed his butt off during campaigning up against the ineffective Beaumont who let it slide past rather than take him on.

    Such potential at deception and troughing and that smile n wave is coming along nicely also so lets see if he is in the club or expendable.

  14. Ad 14
    23 July 2015 at 3:50 pm

    Lotu-Iiga hasn’t cauterised this one yet, despite the “I really told them this time”.

    Kelvin clearly has sources that want to be tapped. I think there’s at least two more weeks worth in this yet. Nice hit Kelvin, well played. It’s still bleeding.

    • tc 14.1
      23 July 2015 at 4:07 pm

      The hollowmen will be weighing up the distraction effect given akl housing, sheepgate, a prominent NZ’r, tanking dairy sector, flag sinkhole, another charter school fiasco, state housing flog off etc.

      Sammy’s about to find out his true ‘worth’ methinks.

      • Ad 14.1.1
        23 July 2015 at 5:06 pm

        Also not an easy time for Key and Ede’s House or media management, because with fuck all put on Parliament’s agenda, they have nothing to shift to another story.

        And so we have a week’s worth of stuffed pigeons and jailbait.
        It’s Key’s own fault.

  15. Clemgeopin 15
    23 July 2015 at 5:58 pm

    Questions to Ministers & Answers

    Mt Eden Corrections Facility—Performance-related Fees

    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 $300,000.

    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.

  16. RedBaronCV 16
    23 July 2015 at 7:06 pm

    And by the look of this he doesn’t know what being on remand is.
    “mixing accused prisoners with other prisoners”
    Are remand prisoners who are guilty of exactly nothing until convicted by a court being mixed with convicted prisoners which is a huge No No.

    Wonder if Sam has realised yet that hanging him out to dry might be the distraction de jour for the Nacts from housing speculation

  17. keyman 17
    23 July 2015 at 7:43 pm

    whats the big deal so someone dies look at all the money we have saved

    • Clemgeopin 17.1
      23 July 2015 at 9:37 pm

      Does that money saving idea of yours apply if it was you we were talking about that was bashed, chased and dropped from a high balcony collapsing your lung, causing concussion and broken limbs and bones? Would your mum, partner, children and near and dear ones say about you what you are saying about someone else’s death?

      Here is hoping some bad karma does not happen to you for your bad sentiments. You better retract, apologise and ask some forgiveness, man.

    • Macro 17.2
      23 July 2015 at 9:53 pm

      So why don’t you save us all some money – and take a running jump.

  19. upnorth 19
    23 July 2015 at 8:44 pm

    why doesnt Davies go the local police station and tell them there has been a murder?

    Problem solved and the Davis can back up his statement

  20. Draco T Bastard 20
    23 July 2015 at 10:47 pm

    Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga thrown under a train by Corrections bosses

    The minister has been thrown under a train by his department after it confirmed serious incidents at Mt Eden prison that, if not entirely proving allegations by Labour MP Kelvin Davis about a cover-up over the death of another prisoner, point to exactly the sort of standover tactics and violence that he claims to be rife at the privately-run prison.

    Those allegations include an inmate being chased off a landing before being assaulted by another inmate and hospitalised with leg and ankle fractures.

    The cover-ups by this government just keep getting uncovered.

    • Tricledrown 20.1
      24 July 2015 at 6:31 am

      More bad news for Minister of corrections another prisoner has said he was badly treated and confirmed that prisoners were being dropped from from the first floor as part of an initiation ceremony.
      Injured prisoners were being shipped out to avoid Serco paying heavy fines.

  21. shorts 21
    24 July 2015 at 1:34 pm

    Found on reddit just now….

    “If anyone’s interested in the NZ prison system, ask away. I was in Rimutaka, Spring Hill(during riot), Mt Eden(Serco), Milton, Waikeria, and Paparua.”

    https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/2nw7hj/i_was_recently_released_after_a_4_year_sentence/

    Relevant:
    The screws were smuggling in boxing gloves up in Serco too getting prisoners to fight in a little room with no camera and placing bets.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/2nw7hj/i_was_recently_released_after_a_4_year_sentence/cmhkixr

    and
    Seen heads split open, people rushed to hospital, stabbings, boiling water assaults, people thrown off tiers, screws smashing a kids head into the concrete.
    The last one doesn’t specify the prison though.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/2nw7hj/i_was_recently_released_after_a_4_year_sentence/cmhlc0o