Alexander: Greens replace commonsense with nonsense again!

Nandor Tanczos has replaced common sense with ideology over the private management of prisons, United Future law and order spokesman Marc Alexander said today.

"On the one hand, Mr Tanczos rightfully acknowledges that Auckland Central Remand Prison (ACRP) was the one 'shining light' in prison management; that it's well run; that he is not a defender of the public service; but despite all that logic, he will join with others to force its closure.

"Then to compound it all, he goes on to justify his party's opposition to the best run prison in the country as not being a question of ideology," he said.

"Clearly, if even Mr Tanczos can see that by every barometer the privately managed prison is better than its state counterparts, then his objection can only be ideological.

"How hard can it be to see sense? The privately managed prison is the only internationally accredited prison in New Zealand; it has the backing of Maori, who argue that it does more to prevent Maori and Pacific Island inmates re-offending than any publicly run prison; and offers inmates two and a half hours a day more in rehabilitation programmes than nearby Mount Eden.

"And if all that isn't enough, it saves taxpayers $29,000 per inmate per year!"

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