Listen Now: 
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis is defending his department’s million dollar slushy fund.
National has slammed the money spent installing crushed ice drink makers for guards in all the country’s prisons.
But Mr Davis says it’s money well spent in what is a tough workplace.
"These prison officers are doing a very difficult job in temperatures that get up to 30 degrees. They are wearing 6kg of equipment and stab resistant vests and things like that. To have these ice machines in their units has been shown to be the fastest way for them to reduce their core body temperature. It helps them stay alert on the job," he says.
While Māori make more than half the prison muster they account for fewer than a third of corrections officers, and Minister Davis would like to see that percentage increase.
!["p_facebook"]("/site/uma/images/story_img/facebook.jpg")
& !["p_twitter"]("/site/uma/images/story_img/twitter.jpg")
Copyright © 2019, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
RELATED NEWS
