Community forums

In order to establish a new corrections facility on this site, Corrections was required, under the Resource Management Act, to lodge an application to amend the existing planning designation in the Manukau City District Plan to allow for a men’s prison. The application for the amendment to the designation was publically notified.

The application to amend the planning designation was approved by a Board of Inquiry (BOI) on 26 September 2011:

In granting approval, the Board imposed a number of conditions which included the requirement to establish the following three committees to address possible social and cultural effects on the local community as a result of the presence of Auckland South Corrections Facility (ASCF) and Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility (ARWCF):

  • Community Impact Forum (CIF)
  • Tangata Whenua Committee (TWC)
  • Social Impact Fund Allocation Committee (SIFAC).

The three committees are linked and work alongside each other to identify and manage the effects on the community as a consequence of the presence of ASCF and ARWCF.  These bodies play a key role in enabling Corrections to work with the community and ensure concerns regarding the prisons are addressed.

Purpose of the Community Impact Forum (CIF) and Tangata Whenua Committee (TWC)

The purpose of the CIF is to provide a forum for community and stakeholder involvement through which any issues of community interest or concern can be raised and responded to.  The key focus for the CIF is to consider the effects of the prison(s) on the community.

The TWC has been established to represent the interests of Maori, whanau and their communities from a cultural perspective with regard to the ongoing relationships between the ASCF and ARWCF and the community.  A key focus is to address matters of cultural concern in relation to the activities of the ARWCF and ASCF as they impact on the community, in particular, Maori whanau within the community.

Social Impact Monitoring Plan

Understanding the impact the prisons may be having on the community is difficult without credible baseline information. This information must also be constantly reassessed to identify where change is occurring. The ‘Social Impact Monitoring Plan’ sets out a framework and processes for ongoing monitoring of a wide range of social indicators. The findings are reported on annually.

Social Impact Monitoring Plan:

Social Impact Annual Monitoring Reports:

The Social Impact Monitoring Plan and Reports inform both the CIF and TWC of the social and cultural changes occurring in the local community that may be attributable to either or both of the prisons. These committees can consider appropriate mitigation of adverse effects and if funding is required to mitigate an effect they can apply to the Social Impact Fund Allocation Committee.

Purpose of Social Impact Fund Allocation Committee

The Social Impact Fund Allocation Committee’s purpose is to allocate, review and oversee the social impact fund. This fund of $250,000 annually will be made available by the Minister of Corrections to avoid, remedy or mitigate identified social and cultural effects directly attributable to ASCF and ARWCF.  Any unused allocation shall accumulate to a maximum of $500,000.