Whanganui Prison staff vacancies filled, turnover slashed as population rises

The number of inmates at Whanganui Prison has risen by 6.65% since December 2023.

The number of staff vacancies at Whanganui Prison has plummeted, with the Kaitoke facility able to handle a steady increase in inmates.

As of January 10, the prison had 2.2 staff vacancies out of 254 fulltime equivalent roles.

That is down from the 27 staff vacancies out of 246 fulltime equivalent roles there were in November 2023.

Whanganui Prison director Reti Pearse said at the time the vacancies were not impacting prisoner entitlements.

He said the entitlements are even less at risk with the increase in staff.

“Not all of these roles are required to be filled for the safe and secure operation of Whanganui Prison,” Pearse said

“Like any organisation, we have a natural turnover of staff and a level of vacancy is built into our operating model.”

Pearse said recent recruitments have been a national priority over the course of 2024.

“Corrections has made concerted efforts to recruit and retain staff, and since October 2022 we have received more than 59,400 applications for front-line custodial roles, more than 2110 people have been recruited into Corrections officer roles and [there are] many more in the recruitment pipeline,” he said.

Pearse said staff retention had improved too, with turnover falling from 15.1% to 9.3% (between June 2023 and October 2024) – the lowest rate in three years.

On January 10, 2025, the number of inmates at Whanganui Prison had risen by 6.65% since December 2023, sitting at 529 prisoners.

On December 7, 2023 there were 496 prisoners, with 203 of those prisoners being managed as high-security – which includes prisoners on remand.

In 2025, the number of prisoners managed as high-security, including those on remand, was 226.

The prison has increased its operational capacity by 54 beds, from 527 to 581. In December 2023 they had 31 vacant beds, which they have since filled.

The increase in beds was achieved by opening existing physical beds which were not being used, Corrections said.

The Chronicle reported in December 2023 the population at the time of 496 was the second-highest it had been in the last five years.