Voters want jails run by state, not privately

Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga (right) said private operators had a long and positive association with service provision. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Serco and other private companies have no place running New Zealand prisons, a majority of voters believe.

A Herald-DigiPoll survey asked people their views about private companies such as Serco running prisons.

Fifty-seven per cent said running prisons should always be done by the state, against 38 per cent who said there was a place for well-run private companies operating prisons.

Five per cent did not know or refused to answer.

Private British company Serco was put in charge of Mt Eden Corrections Facility and subcontracted to run the new Wiri prison. That decision has been put under the spotlight after a string of revelations and allegations relating to Mt Eden prison, including filmed "fight clubs" between inmates and drug use.

The Prison Inspectorate and the Ombudsman are carrying out a review.

Labour's Corrections spokesman Kelvin Davis, who has been leading the charge over Serco in Parliament, said the Government's private prison experiment had been a total failure. "It's not at all surprising to see the public is turning against them."

Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga said private operators had a long and positive association with service provision.

"GPs, aged care and childcare are examples where New Zealanders benefit from services delivered by private providers. Private provision of services also means there are contracts which allow the Government to penalise poor performance," he said.

Corrections yesterday announced the review into Mt Eden prison would be extended to October 30, because of the high number of "issues" to do with the facility. Originally set up to look into fighting, access to cellphones and reporting of violence, it now also includes general welfare of prisoners and monitoring of the prison.

The Herald-DigiPoll survey of 750 eligible voters was conducted between August 14 and 24, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 per cent.