Auckland prison move a waste, National says

The Government wasted $2.6 million by bringing Auckland Central Remand Prison back under public management, the National Party says.

Answers to parliamentary questions show the transfer back from a private operator into public hands last year - in line with Labour policy - cost $2.6 million.

The Government's opponents say the policy is overly ideological and ignores the benefits of potentially more innovative and better managed privately run prisons.

National law and order spokesman Simon Power said yesterday that bringing the prison back into public hands was an unnecessary waste of money.

A previously released report into the prison found that private firm GEO managed to run it with a lower ratio of staff to prisoners and offered some programmes not available in the public system.

Mr Power said the privately-run prison had been proven to be cost effective. A National government would allow privately-run prisons.

- NZPA