Corrections lauded for 'astounding progress'

The Dominion Post

GOOD MAN: Corrections boss Barry Matthews, inset, has belatedly won the confidence of his minister Judith Collins.

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Corrections Minister Judith Collins finally expressed confidence in department head Barry Matthews today, three months after saying he would need to earn her confidence after a report identified serious parole service failures.

In response to a question from Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove in a select committee today, Ms Collins said Mr Matthews had done ''a very good job'' improving the department and she had now confidence in him.

She later told reporters there had been ''astounding progress'' in parole and many positive changes in the department.

''Corrections has entered a new phase where they want to front up if anything goes wrong...They are not hiding from bad news stories, they are letting people know. It actually gives me a lot more confidence.''

An Auditor-General's report in February found parole service procedures, including special provisions introduced after parolee Graeme Burton murdered Karl Kuchenbecker in January 2007, weren't being followed in many cases.

Ms Collins said compliance in dealing with high-risk offenders had increased from 58 percent two years ago to 77-81 percent now.

That improvement had already been made when Ms Collins refused to express confidence in Mr Matthews.

Asked what had changed Ms Collins said improvements had continued.

''They've been undertaking a very good process of looking at all their procedures, how they can improve them, how they can streamline them, but actually they are really taking to this change very well.''

A State Services Commission report released in March said Mr Matthews was accountable for the department's errors but sacking him was not justified.

The department had been improving and tightening its parole management procedures under the pressure of a growing number of offenders being given community-based sentences, and there were long-running institutional problems throughout the department that would take time to solve, the report said.

Ms Collins said at the time she would be holding Mr Matthews to very high standards and he would have to work hard to gain her confidence.

- NZPA

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te retard   #1   05:07 pm Jun 24 2009

I am probably older than both Judith Collins and Barry Mathews though no as good looking as both. I like to think that I am capable of reading between the lines of what was said in this article.

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