Minister demands assurances from Serco

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today made it clear to Serco managers that he expects safety and security at Mt Eden Corrections Facility to be a top priority.

Mr Lotu-Iiga met Serco's director of operations Scott McNairn and managing director Paul Mahoney today to discuss recent incidents and allegations at Mt Eden Prison. 

“I have made my concerns clear to both Serco and the Department of Corrections, and have laid out my expectations going forward,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

“Serco has been left in no doubt that their performance across the board needs to improve and that they are on notice. 

Mr Lotu-Iiga acknowledged that Mt Eden Corrections Facility is a difficult prison to run.

“Its status as a remand prison with a transient prison population presents a unique and challenging environment.  However, this does not excuse Serco from their responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment. 

“Serco’s performance can and must be better, and I expect to see improvements,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says. 

Serco will co-operate fully in the Chief Inspectorate review that will begin on Monday into contraband and incidents of violence in both Serco-run prisons and prisons run by the Department of Corrections.