May 07, 2024
Super prison back on agenda
Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell is promising earlier access to rehabilitation as part of a $1.9 million boost in this month’s Budget.
Most of the money will go on building the super-prison at Waikeria which was stopped by the Labour Government, adding 810 beds and training another 470 corrections officers.
Some $78 million will go into rehabilitation services, and for the first time prisoners on remand will be able to access those services.
He says the Government is committed to Māori rehabilitation programmes.
“Absolutely, we remain fully committed to those and highly value the relationships with iwi and hapu that are engaged with the Corrections system in a really positive way and have a big input into that,” Mr Mitchell says.
The Government has identified $442 million in savings over four years from Corrections which will be reinvested in the reset.