![\"Billy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4LIUR8E_20221104_Billy_Macfarlane0003_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nBilly Macfarlane stands outside Kohuora Auckland South Corrections Facility, a SERCO run high security men\u2019s prison located at Wiri, in Auckland.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Cole Eastham-Farrelly\n<\/p>\n
The founder of a prisoner reintegration service has had his ‘specified visitor’ status at all prisons around the country revoked following what Corrections described as “serious sexual allegations”.<\/p>\n
RNZ revealed that Tikanga Aroro Charitable Trust general manager and founder of the P\u016bwhakamua rehabilitation service Billy Macfarlane faces allegations in relation to a woman who was on bail.<\/p>\n
Macfarlane told RNZ he had a sexual encounter with the woman on one occasion, but said it was consensual and there was “nothing inappropriate about anything going on”.<\/p>\n
Corrections, which contracted the trust to operate P\u016bwhakamua, told RNZ it had terminated the arrangement after they were notified of “serious sexual allegations”.<\/p>\n
Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Corrections commissioner custodial services, Sean Mason told RNZ that due to the “serious sexual nature of the allegations”, Macfarlane’s ‘specified visitor’ at all Corrections-run prisons had been revoked.<\/p>\n
“A ‘specified visitor’ status allows a person to attend a prison without needing to seek approval from the general manager for each visit.<\/p>\n
“As with any member of the public, this person can apply in their personal capacity to visit a prisoner during visiting hours, however they are subject to the general manager’s approval as to whether they are permitted on site.”<\/p>\n
A Serco spokesperson told RNZ all staff, contractors and volunteers working in Kohuora Auckland South Corrections Facility (ASCF) were expected to behave with integrity.<\/p>\n
“When we became aware of serious sexual allegations made against a P\u016bwhakamua staff member, we took immediate action and informed the Tikanga Aroro Charitable Trust of our intention to terminate our agreement with the Trust.<\/p>\n
“Members of the trust are no longer permitted to enter ASCF.”<\/p>\n
If any member of the trust wishes to visit a prisoner in a personal capacity, they can apply to do so.<\/p>\n
“All personal visitors must be approved by the prison director before they can visit any person in our care.”<\/p>\n
Corrections began funding the service in November 2022. Since then, it had contributed around $3.9 million in ongoing funding, with a current agreement to fund $800k per year until 2027. About $880,000 of the $3.9m was part of a conditional grant for infrastructure upgrades.<\/p>\n
In a statement to RNZ on Monday, Corrections deputy chief executive of communities, partnerships and pathways, Juanita Ryan said it “terminated” its contract with the reintegration service on Friday.<\/p>\n
“As soon as we became aware of the serious sexual allegations made against a P\u016bwhakamua staff member on Monday 16 March 2026, we requested that the staff member be stood down and replaced immediately.<\/p>\n
“Given the sexual nature of the allegations and the potential conflict of interest in delivering a rehabilitation service, we urgently sought further information and assurances from the Tikanga Aroro Charitable Trust (TACT), who is contracted to deliver the service.”<\/p>\n
Ryan said Corrections had not received these assurances, nor confirmation on whether the trust stood down the staff member.<\/p>\n
Macfarlane told RNZ he had sex with the woman, who had been released on bail to a property in Auckland, on one occasion.<\/p>\n
“It was just two consenting adults, and it had nothing to do with Corrections … “<\/p>\n
He said he had consulted a lawyer to see whether he had broken any rules, and that it appeared he had not. He said the property the woman was bailed to was a “private address” where two others had also been bailed to.<\/p>\n
He said the property was not associated with the Tikanga Aroro Charitable Trust or the P\u016bwhakamua rehabilitation service.<\/p>\n
“My organisation has had their funding stopped due to somebody’s false allegations.”<\/p>\n
He believed Corrections was “just looking for any excuse to stop our contract”.<\/p>\n
“We’re not the only ones who had their contract stopped … I’ve working in the correctional space for 14 years now, and no one even had the decency to talk to me.<\/p>\n
“No one from Corrections asked me what happened. They’ve just taken it off social media post. That’s really unprofessional. No one’s asked me for the truth.”<\/p>\n
Macfarlane said before he went to visit the woman in prison he met with the prison director “to declare my conflict of interest, if there was any …”.<\/p>\n
“The prison director told me I need to come in either professional visitor or personal visitor. I can’t do both. I can’t blur the lines … so I chose to go in there as a personal visitor and visit her in the visiting room with other inmates.”<\/p>\n
He said it was not a sexual relationship at that time.<\/p>\n
“I slept with her one night following her release…”<\/p>\n
He said he “categorically” denied any serious sexual allegations.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, a police spokesperson confirmed a complaint had been received “which is in the early stages of investigation by the Counties Manukau Adult Sexual Assault Team”.<\/p>\n