Prison muster blowout reveals Government failure

A blowout in prison population numbers, that appears to have caught the National Government off guard, is the latest evidence of the Government’s failure to manage the Prison Service, the Green Party said today.

The Green Party can reveal the Government is looking into ‘band aid’ measures to meet demand after prison population forecasts grossly underestimated 2016 prison population numbers.

Earlier forecasts had the prison population at well under 9,000 this year, but the Green Party understands latest forecasts now have population nudging towards 10,000 throughout 2016.

“It’s hard to imagine how the Department could have got the muster numbers so wrong, other than officials hoping that there’d be fewer prisoners in order to justify the Governments cost cutting agenda,” Green Party corrections spokesperson David Clendon said.

“Alternatively, the National Government has fallen prey to its own press releases about reducing reoffending and is now failing to manage the prison service in a way that keeps the public and prisoners safe - the prison muster blowout is the latest evidence of that.

“The truth is, under National we’re seeing an American style of justice that’s filling up our jails, but failing to make New Zealand a safer place.

“Having closed prisons and laid off staff, there now aren’t enough staff to ensure our prisons are being run safely.

“I have very little faith in the National Government to manage its way out of the mess it’s created in the prison service, because the Corrections Minister whose so called tough on crime justice policies caused this mess, is the same person charged with cleaning it up,” Mr Clendon said.

Action

How to get involved - Treaty Principles

Information on how to make a submission, volunteer or run your own event.

Action

Submit for Climate Action

Submit today to ask the Government to commit to strong Climate Change targets.

Action

Treaty Principles - Make a submission

Join our submission. Let's make it clear that we do not support the Treaty Principles bill.

Action

Ditch the Bootcamps - Sign our petition

Sign our petition demanding an end to bootcamps for children.

Action

Build Dunedin Hospital

Take our poll on how the Government should spend its money, and email Christopher Luxon telling him your thoughts.

Action

Oil & Gas Quick Submissions 2024

Sign the quick submission to save the oil & gas ban!

Action

Stop Fast-track Destruction

Join our call to stop the Fast-track Approvals Bill.

Action

Protect te reo Māori

Sign our petition asking Minister Erica Stanford to keep prioritising the teaching of te reo Māori.

Action

Cut the Coal Petition | Join the movement

Fight back: Tell the government that coal mining is not our future.

Action

Protect Our Freshwater

Join our Green MPs in calling for the government to protect freshwater. Proposed changes to the Resource Management Act threaten New Zealand's...

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing Aotearoa. Volu...

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Healthy Oceans 2022

Join our Healthy Oceans Crew to help us keep the health and protection of our oceans high on the Labour Government’s political agenda.

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Justice Announcements

Story

Failed boot camp experiment must end

As legislation to set up boot camps passed its first reading, the Green Party urged the Government to abandon this failed policy experiment for the...

Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions

Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill.

Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned

The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill.

Not too late to abandon the Bill, Christopher

The Green Party is urgently calling on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill following reports it will be introduc...

Govt must maintain Treaty provisions in Corrections Bill

The Green Party is calling on the Government to support its proposed amendments to leave Treaty provisions in the Corrections Bill.

Greens call on Luxon to abandon Treaty Principles Bill following Waitangi Tribunal report

The Green Party is calling on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill following the Waitangi Tribunal’s scathing rep...

Story

Govt must end solitary confinement

The Green Party is urging the Government to end the use of solitary confinement within our prisons after new research revealed some prisoners have ...

The Greens welcome whānau centred initiatives for Prisons

Today the Government announced a new whānau-centred Māori pathways programme in the Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison.

Greens welcome review of women’s prisons, calls for all prisons to be reviewed

The Green Party welcomes the announcement today from the Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis for an urgent review of women’s prisons.

Reports of prisoner abuse show need for prisons rethink and independent oversight

Reports of an asthmatic woman being bombed in her cell with pepper spray, being forced to lie face down on the ground to be fed, and having to show...

Green Party negotiate further improvements to Terrorism Suppression Bill

The Green Party is pleased with further improvements to the Government’s proposed terrorism law, Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman said today.

Green Party ensures vital human rights and process safeguards will be inserted in new anti-terrorism law

The Green Party has negotiated important civil liberties changes in the proposed Terrorism Suppression Bill which will now establish human rights a...

Story

Māori face significant harm from axing govt funding of background reports

Māori will be among the most impacted by the Government’s cruel, irrational, and senseless plan to stop funding pre-sentencing background reports.

Green Party negotiate further improvements to Terrorism Suppression Bill

The Green Party is pleased with further improvements to the Government’s proposed terrorism law, Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman said today.

Green Party ensures vital human rights and process safeguards will be inserted in new anti-terrorism law

The Green Party has negotiated important civil liberties changes in the proposed Terrorism Suppression Bill which will now establish human rights a...

Evidence of collusion with oil and gas industry a wake-up call

“Today’s report from the State Services Commission shows Government departments colluded with private security firms working for oil and gas compan...

New Waikeria facility a relief valve as work to reduce prison numbers begins

The Green Party welcomes the adoption of a human rights based approach to the upkeep of the Waikeria prison facility, focused on rehabilitation ins...

Greens welcome chief science advisor’s prisons report

The Green Party is welcoming a report released by the Prime Minister’s Chief Scientist, Sir Peter Gluckman, which acknowledges our justice system i...