KEY POINTS:
National is to investigate placing Corrections Department operations back under the Justice Ministry's control, claiming it is functioning in a culture of denial.
Leader John Key said yesterday the caucus had asked corrections and justice spokesman Simon Power to review the department's future under a National government.
Mr Key said bad decisions and a lack of accountability meant "a number of New Zealanders have died for reasons that could have been avoided".
"National has lost confidence in Corrections to meet its core responsibilities effectively, in light of the Burton and Ashley tragedies, the $490 million prisons construction budget blow-out, rehabilitation failures, serious staff morale issues, the huge contraband problem and the 101 other disasters of recent years."
National wanted to send a strong message that it took the issue seriously.
"The question we are asking is will this portfolio be better represented by a senior minister, with oversight and accountability for Corrections and Justice."
Mr Key criticised Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor, the department's chief executive, Barry Matthews, and the finger-pointing between them and other law-and-order agencies.
"What we've actually seen under the current Minister of Corrections is a complete lack of accountability.
"Over Christmas, we saw a great example of that over the GraemeBurton incident. Mr O'Connor didn't even bother to come back and answer questions on the matter."
Asked if heads would roll under National, he said "it's pretty safe to say that some of the people won't be there".
Speaking about Mr Matthews, he said: "Well, we'll have to see how that goes but you can safely assume that when I think performance is unsatisfactory we'll make changes to make sure that it is satisfactory."
Mr Key said National was not considering the change for cost savings but there might be some.
Mr Power said when only one in three people had confidence in the department, there was clearly something wrong.
Mr O'Connor said he was "astonished to see the ease at which the National Party was prepared to backtrack on its previous ideological position".
"It's an extraordinary proposal coming from the very party that split the Department of Corrections from the Justice Ministry in the first place, back in 1995. It's another National flip-flop.
"The announcement has all the hallmarks of policy being created on the hoof, with the National Party unlikely to have done any proper analysis."
He was confident Mr Matthews would "steer his department through this difficult time and lead any essential changes required".
"Clearly, there are issues that need to be addressed. This is the Government's priority for Corrections. It is difficult to know how proposing a bureaucratic change is going to have any immediate impact."
