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Corrections Minister Anne Tolley has taken part in a sod-turning ceremony at Invercargill Prison to mark the start of a $17.9 million construction upgrade.

The building work will improve safety and security at the prison, while providing better rehabilitation and training facilities for prisoners.

Five other prisons across the country are also being upgraded at a total cost of $87 million.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says the Government is now over half way to achieving the Better Public Service target of a 25 per cent reduction in reoffending by 2017.

Reoffending has fallen by 12.6 per cent against the June 2011 benchmark, resulting in 2,319 fewer offenders and 9,276 fewer victims of crime each year.

“These figures are extremely encouraging, and combined with a 17.4 per cent drop in recorded crimes over the last three years it shows our communities are safer,” says Mrs Tolley.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says prisoner access to literacy and numeracy programmes has received massive boosts since 2008, alongside huge increases in prisoners earning qualifications.

Almost 3,000 prisoners will start literacy and numeracy programmes this financial year, a rise of 155 per cent compared to 2007/8.

The number of prisoners gaining qualifications has increased by 830 per cent, up from 197 in 2008/9 to 1,833 in 2012/13. The total number of qualifications gained by prisoners in 2012/13 was 3,160. 

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says a new and comprehensive domestic violence programme is to be introduced for community offenders to help reduce reoffending and prevent family members from being re-victimised.

Domestic violence offenders in the community will take part in 26 sessions over 60 hours, with a focus on minimising the harm caused by drug and alcohol misuse, improving relationship and parenting skills, and managing emotions and attitudes.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says there has been a rise of almost 1500 per cent in places on drug and alcohol treatment programmes for prisoners since 2008.

This financial year over 3,700 prisoners will have access to treatment for their addictions, rising to 4,700 next year, up from just 234 in 2007/08.

Police Minister Anne Tolley has announced the appointment of current Deputy Commissioner Operations, Mike Bush MNZM, as the next Commissioner of Police.

Mr Bush, who has a wide range of operational experience both in New Zealand and overseas, has been appointed for a three-year term which commences on 3 April 2014.

Mr Bush has been Deputy Commissioner Operations since April 2011, and through Prevention First and Policing Excellence has managed a change programme in Police which has contributed to a 17.4 per cent drop in recorded crimes over the past three years.

Police Minister Anne Tolley says illegal street racing offences have reduced by 49.6 per cent in the last four years, contributing to safer roads, fewer deaths and injuries, and less anti-social behaviour in communities.

It follows the introduction in 2009 of legislation aimed at combating boy racer behaviour.

Illegal street racing offences dropped from 2,737 in 2009 to 1,380 in 2013. During the same period, road deaths for 15-24 year olds have fallen from 105 to 66.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says work is under way on a $5.6 million upgrade at Hawkes Bay prison, which will significantly improve security and safety.

A new Audio Visual Link (AVL) building will allow prisoners to make ‘virtual’ court appearances without the security risk or expense of having to transport offenders outside the wire.

Police Minister Anne Tolley says there has been a 155 per cent increase in foot patrols over the last two years, with officers using technology and enhanced intelligence-gathering to reduce crime even further.

Police foot patrols increased from 40,918 in 2011 to 104,321 in 2013, while recorded crimes have dropped by 17.4 per cent over the last three fiscal years.

“Our Police are getting great results, and are completely focused on making our communities even safer,” says Mrs Tolley.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says a new reintegration service in the Rotorua district will help reduce reoffending by providing post-release support for prisoners so they can stay crime-free.

Starting this month, Healthcare of New Zealand will work with up to 45 prisoners each year who are being released on conditions or on parole in Rotorua, Tokoroa and Taupo, and who would previously have had no access to support.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that a decrease in prisoner escapes is leading to increased public safety.

There was a record low in the last financial year of one escape from custody, while in the 2013/14 year to date there have been no escapes.

In total, between 2002/03 to 2007/08 there were 131 escapes from custody, compared to 35 from 2008/09 to the present day.

“Our Corrections officers deal with volatile and often dangerous criminals every day,” says Mrs Tolley.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that New Zealand’s first three working prisons are making excellent progress in giving offenders structured education and skills training alongside work experience for at least forty hours per week, to support rehabilitation and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

90 per cent of eligible prisoners at Rolleston, Auckland Women’s and Tongariro/Rangipo Prisons are now engaged for the full 40 hours each week, which will rise to 100 per cent by June.

Police Minister Anne Tolley says she is appalled that Labour is trying to score cheap political points following last week’s tragic events in Dunedin.

“Labour has made wholly inaccurate and false claims around the pursuit and prosecution of cases,” says Mrs Tolley.

“I am disgusted that they would stoop so low, and try to use this terrible tragedy for political ends.

“Police twice arrested the offender responsible for this shocking crime.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that legislation is to be introduced which will allow Extended Supervision Orders (ESOs) for child sex offenders to be expanded beyond their current maximum ten-year time frame for those who pose a high risk of serious reoffending.

ESOs will also be extended to include the management of high risk sex offenders and very high risk violent offenders.

Police Minister Anne Tolley and Labour Minister Simon Bridges today announced the approval of the Underground Mines Emergency Protocol, developed in response to a recommendation by the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy. 

The protocol provides high level guidance on managing a major underground mine or tunnel emergency.  It sets out the persons and agencies responsible for responding, their key functions, duties, and roles, and the lines of authority for decision making and communication.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley and Courts Minister Chester Borrows today welcomed the new audio visual link (AVL) connection linking New Plymouth Court with Whanganui Prison.

The new link is the first in a $27.8 million upgrade programme, which is expanding AVL links from the current four courts and four prisons to a total of 18 courts and 13 prisons by 2015.

Mrs Tolley says around 40,000 remand court appearances are made each year nationwide, and AVL will be used for more and more of those appearances as the rollout continues.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that offenders have clocked up over a million hours in unpaid community work so far in the fiscal year, to pay something back for the crimes they have committed.

Every week offenders across New Zealand are engaged in activities ranging from cleaning up graffiti, to gardening, painting and clearing rubbish.

Police Minister Anne Tolley and Customs Minister Maurice Williamson have praised their agencies following the largest ever ContacNT precursor drugs bust in New Zealand, in which over 330 kg of the Class B drug has been seized.

Police estimate it would have been used to produce up to 100 kg of methamphetamine, with a street value of $100 million.

$20 million of assets in property, cars and cash were also seized, and 24 arrests made, as 250 Police, OFCANZ and Customs officers today executed 40 search warrants in Auckland and Waikato.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that building work is on schedule for the 29 buildings on the site of the new prison at Wiri in South Auckland.

Work is due to be completed on the new cell blocks, training, education and health buildings by early 2015, for the new 960-bed men’s prison.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee and Police Minister Anne Tolley have launched this summer’s road safety campaign, which will focus on preventing deaths and injuries by reducing speed, alongside greater visibility of Police.

For the first time, the reduced speed tolerance is being extended beyond an official holiday period.

A 4km/h speed threshold will be enforced by Police throughout the whole of December and January.

“We want New Zealanders to enjoy their holidays, and to be around to celebrate many more in the years ahead,” Mrs Tolley says.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that communities are safer, and high-risk offenders are being held to account, following the introduction of 24-hour GPS monitoring.

Ankle bracelets are used to track the real-time movements of offenders, which send an alert if the criminal strays into an area which they have been excluded from, such as parks and schools, or from locations near victims.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says that officers in two prisons are to wear on-body cameras, in a six-month pilot programme aimed at further increasing staff safety.

Auckland and Rimutaka prison staff working in maximum and high security areas, and prison drug dog handlers, will wear the cameras to de-escalate incidents, deter assaults on staff and to gather evidence for use in court and complaints processes.

Footage will also be used to improve staff training and for debriefs following any incidents.

Police Minister Anne Tolley says proposed changes to taxation allowances will mean that Police officers will not be unfairly penalised.

Around 2,100 Police staff would have been liable for additional tax on their plain clothes allowance.

However, the Minister of Revenue has announced there will be changes to the Income Tax Act which will ensure that these officers don’t have to pay any extra for work-related clothing.

“I welcome the decision to change the Act,” says Mrs Tolley.

Police Minister Anne Tolley says she has written to the Independent Police Conduct Authority, asking it to investigate the “Roast Busters” case in Auckland, particularly the questioning of a thirteen year-old girl in 2011.

“Parents of young girls need to have confidence that complaints to Police about sexual assault are investigated thoroughly and appropriately,” says Mrs Tolley.

“As Minister, I can’t delve into the details of a Police investigation - politicians cannot interfere in Police inquiries.