New Zealand Parliamentary Debate

Questions for Oral Answer [4422]

Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR

: I am aware there are some concerns around cervical screening and the laboratory testing of those samples. I can assure the House that the level of service in the Auckland area will remain. We are transferring the contract from one predominantly Australian-based company to another Australian-based company and I cannot understand how that party, which advocates for privatisation in the health sector, does not want to accept the realities of an open-market competitive tender process.

Peter Brown

: Can the Minister confirm that the parent company in Australia is facing criminal charges at this point in time; if so, does he believe it is good business practice to transfer from one established organisation here to a company that has no staff and a parent company that is facing criminal charges?

Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR

: I am not aware of that charge. I am informed that the company is a credible partnership between professionals in New Zealand and an established company in Australia. I trust that the competitive tender process and the contract arrangements will secure services in the Auckland area.

Dr Jonathan Coleman

: Has the Minister had concerns raised with him about potential conflicts of interest in the tender process and what has he done to satisfy himself that none exist?

Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR

: We are aware of the claims of conflict of interest. The one board member involved stood down for 6 months previous to this process and played no part in it. The National Party should full well understand the process when there is a potential conflict of interest. We are confident that that process has been upheld.

Dr Jonathan Coleman

: Does the Minister accept that he bears the ultimate responsibility for ensuring there is no disruption to the provision of community laboratory services for the 1. 3 million Aucklanders potentially affected by this change of service provider?

Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR

: I think Ministers full well understand that the ultimate responsibility for a public health system lies with the Minister. We uphold that responsibility with the utmost integrity and we are sure that this contract will continue to deliver services for the Auckland region.

Te Ihi Tu Trust-Violent Offenders Programme

10.

TE URUROA FLAVELL( Maori Party-Waiariki)

to the Minister of Corrections: He aha ta te Minita whakautu ki nga kitenga i panuitia i te Reo Irirangi o Waatea i tenei wiki, e kii ana, ko te ropu Te Ihi Tu o Taranaki, ara, he ropu e whai ana i nga tikanga me nga matapono Maori, kua eke ki te whitu tekau ma toru o-rau tona angitu, hei karo i te hokinga tuarua, tuatoru, tuangahuru, aha ranei mo te hunga haratu whakawarawara?

What response will the Minister make to the findings, reported on Radio Waatea this week, that Taranaki-based Te Ihi Tu Trust, which operates under tikanga Maori principles, is achieving a 73 percent success rate in its programme to prevent violent prisoners from reoffending?

Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR( Minister of Corrections):

I am delighted with the findings, and I am committed to furthering the success of rehabilitation programmes across the entire corrections system, as is the Associate Minister, the Hon Mita Ririnui. My department has advised me that it has confidence that the Te Ihi Tu programme is successful in reducing reoffending. There is currently an evaluation taking place to show evidence of that programme's effectiveness.

Te Ururoa Flavell

: He aha tana whakamarama mo te noho pahikahika a-putea o Te Ihi Tu, ara, ko te tekau mano taara ki ia tangata hara, engari ko te putea i etahi atu whare