Delegates from Australia and New Zealand visited Hawke's Bay last week to look at ways to reduce indigenous incarceration.
The Corrective Services Administrators' Council Senior Officials Working Group on Indigenous Issues Conference visited several units at Hawkes Bay Regional Prison last week, starting with a powhiri in Te Whare Tirohanga Maori unit.
Department of Corrections Maori strategy and partnerships general manager Neil Campbell said representatives from the Northern Territory, New South Wales, Canberra, South Australia and Victoria as well as New Zealand met to identify focus areas, propose solutions and share best practice to reduce the over-representation of indigenous peoples in corrective services.
Reducing reoffending by Maori offenders is an important priority for Corrections and research has proven that programmes, activities and therapy have the most impact when matched with a person's cultural background, he said.
"We understand the importance of partnership with Maori and we are committed to working with Maori in good faith to reduce reoffending.