Call for inquiry over communition wine in prison

The issue of communion wine in prisons is causing controversy in New Zealand. Political party leader Peter Dunne is calling for a human rights investigation of a prison adminstration decision to bar communion wine:

Harry Hawthorn, the head of the Public Prisons Service, confirmed that Communion wine cannot be taken into prisons and said the department has "no discretion" in allowing an exemption to the Corrections Act 2004.

The Act prohibits unauthorised items, including "any drug, alcohol, or other intoxicating substance", from being taken into prisons.

"The last thing Parliament had in mind when passing the legislation in 2004 was banning the celebration of Mass in prisons, and it is stretching logic and common sense beyond any reasonable bounds to imply otherwise," Mr Dunne said.

"The Bill of Rights upholds all New Zealanders' rights to freedom of worship, wherever they may be, and to deny prison inmates the opportunity to go to Mass if they wish is a denial of their basic human rights."

Said Mr Dunne: "I will be raising the matter with the Human Rights Commission. If this decision is allowed to stand it will make a complete mockery of the recent statement on supporting religious diversity."

(New Zealand Press Association)