A triple-murderer and rapist has been declined parole, but hopes to be able to leave prison to work outside the wire.
Hayden Poulter, 55, is serving three life sentences for the murder of two prostitutes and a massage parlour owner in 1996, plus an attempted murder and a rape.
He was described by media at the time as "New Zealand's first serial killer".
The Parole Board said Poulter has completed various programmes inside prison and has been in a self-care unit for the past four years.
He has had five guided outings, including one to a community probation office and an optometrist's appointment.
He told the board he wanted to be released to work as a labourer for a construction firm and has begun seeing a psychologist to help him with relationships.
He also said he hoped to be ready for release on parole in six months - but the board was less optimistic.
It said he would need to be challenged in a situation where he meets with the public.
The board will see Poulter again next May.
In a Parole Board decision from 2011, the board said the brutal offending was of the worst kind imaginable.
The board was also anxious that Poulter was suppressing another personality and there may be circumstances where that might reappear.
Two years later Poulter said he had done away with his alter ego named 'Hell', the persona which he said urged him to kill women.
He had completed an adult sex offender treatment programme and he said he now took full responsibility for his offending.
