Tony Ryall National Corrections Spokesperson

16 December 2002

A Christmas feast fit for ... prison inmates

The irony of prisoners sitting down to a Christmas Day feast while many families are queuing for food bank parcels won't be lost on hardworking taxpayers, says National's Corrections spokesman, Tony Ryall.

In response to a question from Mr Ryall, the Corrections Minister has supplied Christmas Day menus for five of the country's main prisons, all providing traditional roast dinners and trimmings.

"It's enough to make the 234 inmates getting early release this Christmas because of Labour's parole loophole probably wish they were still inside for Christmas dinner," says Mr Ryall.

"I hope that when inmates sit down to their roast pork and chicken, trifle, cream and mince pies, they reflect on the wreck they have made of their victims' lives.

"They should remember, too, that for many New Zealanders, a traditional Christmas feast with all the trimmings is a luxury well out of reach," says Mr Ryall.

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