Corrections has spent over $305,000 on slushy syrup and maintaining frozen ice machines in the past six years.
The news comes as proposed job cuts ravage the public service with 3460 jobs set for the chopping block, as part of the cost savings drive.
The slushy machines caused controversy in 2019 when it was revealed Corrections had spent over $1 million of taxpayer money on 193 slushy machines.
The then-National leader Simon Bridges called it “irresponsible and wasteful spending” at the time but then-Corrections minister Kelvin Davis said was about health and safety.
Since then the slushy fund has continued with 160 of the 193 original machines still in use and $305,906 spent on syrup, maintaining them.
I assume so, hence “corrections” rather than “incarceration” being the department name ;-)
In the US, we privatize the prisons so a corporation is incentivised against rehabilitation. Then when someone is granted parole, their family has to pay for monitoring. Isn’t it great? I’ll go cry in the corner.
Unfortunately, that’s something half our ruling elite want to try because it’s an opportunity for a few to make a ton of money.
Fortunately, IIRC, we closed the trial private prison.
There seems to be one that is operated by a private company: https://www.serco.com/aspac/our-work/justice/information-for-friends-and-family/auckland-south-corrections-facility