Ray Smith
Apology to farmers over Mycoplasma Bovis eradication programme
The Director-General of the Ministry for Primary Industries has apologised to farmers for the way the ministry handled the programme to eradicate Mycoplasma Bovis.
Two reviews of how MPI handled the… Audio
Second fruit fly found in Auckland
The Biosecurity Minister Damien O'Connor is cutting short a trip to Dubai and travelling to South Auckland to help respond to a fruit-fly incursion. A Queensland fruit fly was spotted in the Devonport… Audio
Corrections head: Waikeria prison contract was months away
Ray Smith has contradicted statements made by senior government ministers in Parliament, that a contract for the public private partnership to build the new Waikeria prison was already in place when… Video, Audio
Handcuffing prisoners for staff safety - Corrections
The Corrections department is making no apologies for a five fold increase in its use of handcuffs on prisoners. They were used almost a thousand times in the 2016/17 year compared to just 183 times… Audio
Corrections "open" to new ways to tackle Maori re-offending
Half the prison population is Maori and the tribunal says Corrections is breaching its Treaty obligations by not doing enough to reduce the alarming statistics. Audio
Corrections in the gun over treatment of mentally ill inmates
"They need proper care and support. They don't need to be tortured." Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson says if someone is sufficiently mentally unwell, they need to be in a… Audio
Corrections chief Ray Smith defends dept after restraint
"Mistakes were made. It's needed to be discontinued but I do understand why it was being done. We were trying to keep him alive." Corrections chief executive Ray Smith discusses what went wrong that… Audio
More inmates, more prisons, what next?
The prison population has never been higher, requiring big spending on new jails. Kathryn Ryan asks Corrections head Ray Smith what his department is doing about it. Audio
Corrections warned in 2014 about fightclubs
It's been revealed that the Corrections Department was warned back in 2014 that fightclubs were probably being run in its Rimutaka and Ngawha prisons. Audio
Corrections boss says Mt Eden prison monitors were "overwhelmed"
Head of Correction, Ray Smith, says revelations that Serco staff were playing table tennis while fight clubs were going on at Mt Eden prison show prison monitors became overwhelmed. Audio
Birkdale community unaware of Robertson's convictions
The Birkdale community on Auckland's North Shore had no idea that fellow resident Tony Robertson was a child sex offender who actively avoided rehabilitation while in prison. Audio
Mt Eden now staffed by both Serco and Corrections
NZ First is demanding answers on the cost of dealing with British company Serco's botched management of Mt Eden Remand prison. Audio
Prison boss admits shortcomings
The investigators point out Phillip Smith's escape was a rare event. But Corrections Chief Executive is Ray Smith says they could have done so much better. Audio
Corrections steps in from tomorrow at Serco-run Mt Eden prison
Corrections Department chief executive Ray Smith says whatever action his department ultimately takes against Serco, the company is already facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial… Audio
Claim Corrections knew of Mt Eden prison fights
And listening to that is Corrections chief executive Ray Smith. Audio
194 people losing their jobs as old prisons shut
Corrections is hoping it can find jobs for three quarters of the 194 people who are losing their jobs as the department closes parts of its old prisons. Audio
Corrections plans to close prisons
The jobs of 260 prison jobs are on the line as the Corrections Department moves to close parts of the country's oldest prisons. Audio
Corrections admits Smith should never have been released
The department that runs prisons has admitted its release plan for escaped paedophile and killer Phillip Smith was overly ambitious, misinformed and should have never been considered. Audio
Department of Corrections on Phillip John Smith
The Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections Ray Smith speaks with Susie Ferguson. Audio
Prison riot inquiry clears Corrections, faults long lock-ups
The inquiry into a riot at Spring Hill prison has blamed the inmates for it and found Corrections' response was well managed but faulted it for long lock-ups. Audio