Minister to visit private prisons in Australia

Corrections Minister Hon Judith Collins will this week visit privately managed prisons in Australia to find out more about how contract management of prisons could work in New Zealand.

The Minister will tour three privately managed prisons, one in Victoria and two in Queensland. The prisons hold a range of prisoners from remand through to medium security.

The Government has introduced a Bill to allow for private management of prisons in New Zealand. Auckland Central Remand Prison was under private management from 1999 to 2004 when the Labour government banned private management on ideological grounds.

"It is crucial that we deliver the very best corrections service for New Zealand. To achieve this I believe we shouldn't limit our choices," Ms Collins says.

"In order to have a world-class corrections system, we need exposure to world-class expertise.

"I'm looking forward to learning more about privately managed prisons in Australia, and how their innovations and ideas can benefit the Corrections sector in New Zealand."

While visiting the Australian prisons Ms Collins will look at operational differences between public and private prisons, the effects of private prisons on the operations of public prisons, and the monitoring mechanisms in place to ensure private operators meet the requirements of their contracts.