Statement of Intent 2021-2022

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Introduction from the Chief Executive

In this, the final period of our 2018-2022 Statement of Intent, I thought it was important to provide updates on changes to our organisational strategy. In August 2019, we launched Hōkai Rangi, our fiveyear organisational strategy covering 2019-2024. It represents a new strategic direction for us: one that builds on the good things we were already doing, but importantly, innovates to find new and alternative ways of doing things to achieve better outcomes for people under our management, their whānau, and the wider community.

The strategy sets a clear expectation to address the overrepresentation of Māori in our system, and we knew we had to do things differently to realise that. It is a bold strategy and requires us to be equally bold in fulfilling its promise.

We’ve made a strong start, and despite the COVID-19 interruptions and the Waikeria Prison riot, progress continues at pace. Our staff are at the heart of us being able to deliver Hōkai Rangi. Investing in the ongoing strength, safety, and capability in our people is a significant focus for the organisation. In 2020, we realigned our Executive Leadership Team to deliver Hōkai Rangi. This included establishing a new People and Capability group responsible for building the capability of our people, and ensuring they are well supported to do their work.

As we move forward, there will be a greater level of accountability and workforce flexibility for our four regions to operate and support their frontline staff. This will enable our frontline staff to be supported in a way that is more responsive to their needs, and ensure they have the skills and capability to lead our implementation of Hōkai Rangi.

The organisation cannot deliver Hōkai Rangi alone. Developing, improving, and strengthening authentic partnerships with Māori is an important step on our journey. Our work on the Māori Pathways programme has become a key part of Hōkai Rangi. The Māori Pathway was part of the 2019 wellbeing budget – a $98 million investment over four years to shift the Corrections system using kaupapa Māori and whānaucentred approaches. The partnerships developed through this are enabling us to generate new ideas and ways of working. Results will be assessed by Māori and the Crown together.

An additional $10 million was invested in the Wāhine Māori Pathways in the 2021 budget. Women have unique needs and this funding will support a series of initiatives designed in partnership with Māori to build better outcomes for women at Christchurch Women’s Prison and across the Canterbury community.

Our pathways work is focused in three areas: Hawkes Bay, Te Tai Tokerau and Te Mana Wāhine (Christchurch). These areas have been provided with the investment, mandate, and objective of adapting ours, and our partners’, approaches to better support the Hōkai Rangi outcomes. I anticipate these three geographical areas, along with the Waikato, through the Waikeria Prison redevelopment, provide us the opportunity to try new ways of working which can then be transferred elsewhere.

I am confident that the coming year will see further important changes in the way we operate, and I am looking forward to sharing these in next year’s Statement of Intent. These changes, supported by strong and authentic partnerships, will enable us to improve outcomes with and for Māori, and create humanising and healing pathways through the Corrections system, as envisaged by Hōkai Rangi.

Chief Executive statement of responsibility

In signing this information, I acknowledge that I am responsible for the information on strategic intentions for the Department of Corrections/Ara Poutama Aotearoa.

This information has been prepared in accordance with section 38 and section 40 of the Public Finance Act 1989.

Jeremy Lightfoot
Secretary for Corrections and Chief Executive
Te Tumu Whakarae mō Ara Poutama Aotearoa