“Official information data shows Corrections Head Office numbers and salaries have ballooned since 2017 while the frontline is still fighting for a pay rise and battling staff shortages,” says Darroch Ball Leader of Sensible Sentencing Trust.

“The total number employed by Corrections Head Office has increased by more than a third over a four-year period to number now over a thousand staff.”

“The data also shows the increase includes a more than doubling of the number earning over $100k - increasing from 272 staff in 2017 to a massive 547 staff in 2021.”

“What’s more shocking is that those earning more than $200k a year almost tripled in number from just 21 staff in 2017 to now number 57 staff.”

“Corrections have stated the increase is associated mostly with the new Māori-focused Hokai Rangi strategy – but what are these positions for, who is filling them, and how can those massive increases in salaries be justified?”

“The size of the increase of those numbers and salaries is a slap in the face to the frontline with Corrections Association (CANZ) being in the middle of pay negotiations and reporting staff shortages as being chronic and widespread.”

“The total annual salaries, just for the additional staff, is costing taxpayers $30-$50 million every year. This is at the same time CANZ had to reject a pay package offered to the frontline that was less than half of that amount.”

“These numbers in Head Office are said to be planned to increase even further over the coming year.”

“All of this in the light of frontline officers being assaulted in greater numbers than ever before, staff shortages that are stretching the frontline, and a union that is having to fight for a miniscule pay rise.”

“The Minister of Corrections Kelvin Davis needs to explain the massive increase in numbers and justify the costs being funnelled into Wellington when the ones that matter, the frontline, are continuing to be forgotten.”

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