13 November
Nineteen prison staff from five prisons in the Corrections Northern Region yesterday had their length of service acknowledged by Corrections Minister Hon Judith Collins, Chief Executive Barry Matthews, and Northern Regional Manager Warren Cummins.
“Considering New Zealanders spend an average of around five years with one employer, your dedication is nothing less than extraordinary,” the Minister said to staff and family members gathered at Paremoremo Community Hall.
“Aside from assisting prisoners to turn their lives around, you also provide leadership, guidance and advice to less experienced staff members and those just embarking on their careers. The example set by those around them has a profound effect on the success or otherwise of those joining any organisation,” she said.
The Department’s long service awards and medals are issued under authority delegated by Her Majesty the Queen and presented to staff who have 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 years of service with the Department.
Among those recognised yesterday were Doug Keith and Kelly Puohotaua.
Mr Keith served nine and a half years with the Royal New Zealand Navy as an Engineering Mechanic before joining the then Department of Justice in 1967. He was one of the original officers when Auckland Prison opened in 1968 and moved through the ranks to Second Officer in 1973. Yesterday’s ceremony marked 42 years of service to the Department.
Kelly Puohotaua spent six years in the Army before receiving honourable discharge and went on to work as a Prison Officer at Rangipo Prison in 1974 aged 24.
Noted at his initial interview as being a "smart, forthright and well spoken young man" Mr Puohotaua soon started to forge a successful career with the Prison Service. In 1986 he transferred to Waikeria Prison and then to Auckland Prison as a Unit Manager before undertaking another challenging role as HR Manager.
Most recently Mr Puohotaua has been acting Prison Manager at Auckland Prison and will soon return to his position of Prison Manager, Mt Eden Prison. He was acknowledged for 35 years of service.
Regional Manager Warren Cummins said that changes in the region, such as having six large prisons in operation, delivering 40 percent of all movements in the prison system, managing all of the country’s maximum security prisoners and housing more than 50 percent of all female prisoners in NZ are down to experienced people doing the basics well.
“No small achievement at all and, directly or indirectly, that is an achievement delivered by each of the people receiving an award today.
Mr Cummins also acknowledged the role that family and friends play in supporting Prison Services.
“Although your loved ones are receiving the award from the Crown for their service, it is just as much a recognition of your contribution in motivating them to return to work each day given what they will have seen and experienced in their careers. No doubt you have experienced some of this and so I salute your efforts and courage as well.”
Note to journalists:
The staff who received long service awards were:
Auckland Central Remand Prison
Rex Collins (21 years) and Martin Clark (28 years)
Mt Eden Prison
Joseph Hobson (21 years), Geoffrey Newbold (21 years), Albert Waru (21 years), Robert Down (35 years) and Kelly Puohotaua (35 years).
Northland Region Corrections Facility
Jack Bush (14 years)
Spring Hill Corrections Facility
John Kanawa (21 years) and Carol Heke (14 years)
Auckland Prison
John Anderson (28 years), Anthony Mason (28 years), Lester Mckinney (35 years), Stephen Shaw (28 years), Phillip Shead (21 years) John Stevenson (28 years), John Wass (14 years), Doug Keith (42 years) and Eddie Kolodzinski (28 years).