The Green Party says one of the four private companies in the running to manage a prison in Auckland was heavily criticised for its management of a British detention centre.
Kalyx manages four prisons in Britain, and is on the shortlist for the contract to run the Mount Eden-Auckland Central Remand prison.
The other companies are G4S, Serco and The Geo Group, which ran the prison between 2000 and 2005.
The Green Party's corrections spokesperson, David Clendon, says Kaylx was the subject of a damning report in 2006 from the Chief Inspector of Prisons for its management of an immigration removal centre near London.
Kalyx is no longer involved in the management of the Harmondsworth centre.
Mr Clendon says the company should not be on the short-list for the prison in Auckland.