In May, I was pleased to be involved with the opening of Otago Corrections Facility, the third of four the Government is building as part of our regional prisons project, which combined will add over 1600 new beds to prison capacity.
It was a bittersweet day. Opening a new prison is never a time to rejoice. There are far better ways of spending our tax dollars - such as building new schools or hospitals.
That said, prisons are a necessary part of any society. What is encouraging about OCF, and the other three new prisons is that they are built specifically with the rehabilitation of prisoners in mind.
The environment has been designed so that prisoners will be expected to take responsibility for their daily routines - working, training, and attending health centre appointments.
The concept is straightforward - negative behaviour will be met with sanctions and restrictions, and responsible and self-controlled behaviour will be both rewarded and encouraged.
Facilities for prisoners on site include a 400-head dairy farm, which will give prisoners new skills, and eventually help plug skill shortages in the local dairy industry.
CIE is also exploring a number of other opportunities to fill skills gaps in the Otago region. This is done in partnership with industry, Industry Training Organisations, and other industry groups to ensure that the skills we provide match local market needs.
Corrections will be working closely with the Ministry of Social Development to ensure this match-up succeeds.
I would like to thank all of those who did such a fantastic job to get this prison ready on time, from the designers and prime contractors to the commissioning teams at head office and the dedicated regional and site teams. I would also especially like to acknowledge and thank Te Runanga o Otakou as our partner and kaitiaki for the site. Now the “real work” begins. I am encouraged that a great many high quality applications were received for positions at the facility, and that the balance of skills of new staff will ensure it can get off to a flying start.
I hope that staff, volunteers and the local community will embrace the real potential of the site and its ethos of rehabilitation. It is a great opportunity to make a real difference. I wish you all well. Thank you.
Prime Minister Hon. Helen Clarke with Minister of Corrections
Hon. Damien O’Connor. Photo: Graham Warman
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ISSN 1178-8453