Corrections staff protest prison privatisation

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Corrections Department employees will protest outside Parliament today over a proposal to privatise two Auckland prisons.

A bill allowing the privatisation of prisons was passed under urgency in November despite opposition from the Labour Party.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has said the first two prisons would likely be Auckland's Mt Eden Prison and one being built at Wiri in south Auckland.

Public Service Association (PSA) and New Zealand Corrections Association employees will gather outside Parliament at 1.30pm today to express their concerns the shift to privately operated prisons would not be good for staff.

PSA assistant national secretary Jeff Osborne said prisons run as a business cost the country more and delivered a worse service because of their need to turn a profit.

- NZPA