Department of Corrections chief executive Jeremy Lightfoot has today refuted claims made by prisoners protesting inhumane conditions at Waikeria Prison.
In a press conference, Lightfoot addressed the allegations made by 16 protesting inmates inside the prison, including claims of being given dirty water and a lack of food.
“I want to emphasise the actions by the men exposed them, other prisoners, our staff and emergency services to significant danger,” he says.
“It caused a huge amount of trauma for the 200 prisoners that were evacuated from the top jail under urgency during fires.”
He says it has also “significantly impacted” the 500 men who remained at the low jail sites.
“The family and friends of prisoners at Waikeria - including the men who took part in the disorder - have been beside themselves with worry.
“There is no excuse for the things that these men have done.”
The inmates surrendered at 12.37pm this afternoon, where they were escorted by Rawiri Waititi, the MP for Waiariki and co-leader of the Māori Party.
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis today said only one person - a prisoner - was injured during the protests after he was assaulted by the 16 other men following an attempt to surrender on New Year's Eve. No Corrections staff or other inmates were injured in the incident.
“The group has destroyed the top jail at Waikeria Prison, rendering it unusable. Responsibility for laying charges in relation to the destruction of the facility lies with the police,” he says.
The Corrections Minister said it was his view the “reasons for their actions” was not due to the conditions at the prison.
Lightfoot says Corrections are "not aware of complaints being made by the men in relation to the conditions, and this has been confirmed in my conversations with the Chief Inspector.”
He went through several of the men's complaints point-by-point to refute them.
Lightfood called the men’s claims the drinking water was brown unfounded, saying the prison is located in a rural area and the water comes from a bore and through a treatment plant before reaching the facilities.
“The water is tested six days a week, and there have been no concerns with the safety of the water,” he says.
“This is communicated to the prisoners within the environment and our staff drink that same water.”
He also addressed concerns about the conditions inside the prison, saying a “number of steps to improve conditions in the top jail” since an Ombudsman inspection was carried out in October 2019 and published in a report in August 2020.
The changes include an "ongoing programme of maintenance of cells, units and yards," including the "repainting of some cells, in the separates units and the removal of graffiti".
Lightfoot says prisoners who have newly arrived to the top jail have also been provided with a "comprehensive induction booklet" to help them navigate the environment.
He added that yards are checked daily for damage, anti-graffiti paint has been applied, there has been increased resources in the prison’s property area to ensure inmates can access their property quickly and the prison has developed “streamlined procedures for ordering, and managing, prisoner clothing”.
Some of the complaints around clothing included that prisoners were only given two pairs of underwear and were made to wash them in the shower instead of laundry facilities.
Lightfoot says an Inspectorate visit in January 2020 “confirmed that the prison had made significant gains in this area” and “clothing was, in fact, being well-managed”.
The mother and cousin of two of the 16 inmates say the men are “being treated like animals”.
He says prisoners have also been provided with extra food with their evening meals and Corrections officers have had "a continual focus on the management of complaints".
He says while complaint forms are available “across all units” and the complaints process “is clearly displayed, there are also a "number of other channels for prisoners to report concerns or make complaints,” including the Independent Corrections Inspectorate 0800 free call number and the Office of the Ombudsman.
Lightfoot, however, acknowledged that the top jail had “reached the end of its ability to be used without significant investment,” but it had not been closed in order to house prisoners on remand in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
A new facility to replace the top jail will be completed in 2022.
He says Waikeria had been the "main remand site for courts throughout the region", and moving prisoners - including the 16 protesting inmates - "will limit the ability for the family and friends of prisoners to maintain contact with them while their court matters are ongoing".
"That is something now, as a result of these 16 men's actions, that will be resulting for some time."
He has since commissioned two internal reviews into the incident: an operational review and a wider independent review.
The operational review, to be undertaken by the Chief Custodial Officer, will examine how Corrections can "continue to build a stronger, high-performing organisation that enables us to work more effectively with others" and identify areas of focus to “strengthen our systems for the long-term”. The review is expected to be completed in three months.
The independent review, to be undertaken by the Office of the Chief Inspector, will allow Corrections to “consider some of the wider issues relating to this incident”. It may take between six and nine months to conclude.
He says the inmates’ reasons for the protests will also be considered in the reviews process.
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