20055 (2026). Dr Tracey McLellan to the Minister of Corrections

20055 (2026). Dr Tracey McLellan to the Minister of Corrections: Has the Minister received any advice, briefings, or reports on how factors such as overcrowding, staffing levels, or operational pressures may affect integrity and corruption risks within prisons?

Hon Mark Mitchell: The environments that Corrections staff work in are increasingly complex. It is important to me that risks continue to be mitigated. As the Member knows, this Government puts victims at the heart of the criminal justice system. After removing the target for a 30 per cent decrease, set by a previous Government, the prison population has plainly increased. That is why we are investing significantly in additional frontline staff and prison capacity, with further investment that the Member will have noted in Budget 2026. I receive regular updates from my officials on a range of matters including through briefings, aides memoire, cabinet papers, routine meetings and my weekly report. While it is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of all advice received, some examples of advice, briefings or reports I have received that is in scope or partially in scope of the members question which include for example: • a small part of B5016 Justice Sector Ministers Meeting on 19 February 2026 which includes information about integrity and anti-corruption efforts across the sector. This includes updates on cross-agency work to strengthen prevention, detection, and response to fraud and corruption risks, as well as Corrections’ ongoing initiatives to build staff capability, manage integrity risks, and maintain organisational resilience in a complex operating environment. • a part of B4936 Aide Memoire: Persons of Extreme Risk Directorate Update, which included information about Corrections work underway to develop a dedicated placement option for the most influential organised crime individuals, designed to disrupt their ability to coordinate offending, recruit, and communicate. The member will also be aware of the legislative changes being proposed as part of Corrections (Management of Prisoners, and Prisoners' Property) Amendment Bill, which received its first reading on 28 April 2026 and was referred to the Justice Select Committee for review. A part of that legislative change includes amending the Corrections Act 2004 to establish a clearer statutory basis for the management of a small group of prisoners managed by the Department of Corrections who pose an extreme risk while in prison, referred to as designated-management prisoners (DMPs). Some of those DMPs will be those with links to sophisticated transnational organisational crime. Information that I received relating to that Bill was made publicly available through the introduction and first reading, and is posted on Corrections website: https://www.corrections.govt.nz/resources/policy_and_legislation/cabinet_papers