Collins Or Ryall --- Who’s Telling The Truth?

Either Corrections Minister Judith Collins has dropped Health Minister Tony Ryall right in it over drug and alcohol treatment in Blenheim, or vice versa, but either way those missing out on treatment are set to suffer, says Labour law and order spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove.

Clayton Cosgrove said he raised the issue of Blenheim’s St Marks Adult Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre with Judith Collins in Parliament in June* as part of a wider question on drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes for prisoners.

“I was aware that programmes in Blenheim and Otahuhu were under threat because of uncertainty around future funding, but Judith Collins explicitly said in the House that Tony Ryall had told her the Health Ministry was dealing with the Blenheim issue, and would be taking over the matter.

“It now seems that either Tony Ryall was telling porkies to Judith Collins, or she misled the House in an attempt to avoid taking responsibility in her role as Corrections Minister for programmes that can help prevent people re-offending,” Clayton Cosgrove said.

“St Marks has now written to me saying the Health Ministry has not been in touch with the centre about taking up the $70,000 that it had been hoped Corrections would provide toward two beds at the centre.

“Either Tony Ryall sold Judith Collins a pup, or Judith Collins dropped her colleague right in it with her answer,” Clayton Cosgrove said.

“The bottom line, however, is that up to 80 percent of the centre’s clients are involved with Corrections --- on home detention or pre-sentence and post-sentence.

”These are the people who will suffer, and, as we all know, it is far, far cheaper and more effective to treat most people for drug issues than to jail them.

“The lack of respect shown by this Government toward St Marks reveals just how little commitment it has to providing rehabilitation that works.”

ENDS

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