Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga needs to follow the lead of overseas authorities and get rid of SERCO for serious and continued breaches in their management of Mt Eden Correctional Facility, said the Green Party today
Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga needs to follow the lead of overseas authorities and get rid of SERCO for serious and continued breaches in their management of Mt Eden Correctional Facility, said the Green Party today.
“Just two months ago, the Western Australian (WA) Government dumped SERCO as the prison transport provider halfway through an inquiry into SERCO’s services,” said Green Party corrections spokesperson David Clendon.
“There is no reason Sam Lotu-Iiga shouldn’t follow the lead of the WA Government and move to terminate SERCO’s contract for their repeated failures at Mt Eden prison and their continued attempts to hide these failures.
“Other countries have moved to get rid of SERCO even when a review is underway so there is no reason our Minister cannot do the same.
“This year alone SERCO was also dumped from providing health services in Western Australia and also lost a health contract in Cornwall, England, for failing to meet standards and falsifying data.
“SERCO has been sacked in other countries for arguably lesser failings and yet Sam Lotu-Iiga is reluctant to do the same in New Zealand.
“The Minister must concede that there are no good reasons to keep SERCO.
“There is ample evidence that the private prison model has failed badly, and it is time that National just accepted this and got rid of SERCO rather than holding on to it to save face,” said Mr Clendon.
