Sunday Star Times
December 16, 2001
Page A6
Goff Needs Moral Courage
Justice Minister Phil
Goff (December 9) has misrepresented my position. I am not an advocate for anyone involved in the Christchurch Civic
Creche case.
He is being poorly
advised. Since A City Possessed was
published many eminent legal authorities have confirmed that my legal analysis
is correct; I have identified serious problems in the justice system which the
government must address.
Goff’s attempts to
bury these problems are making the government and the justice system look
ridiculous.
He is wrong. The
minister does not need the judiciary’s permission before he can instruct the
governor-general to pardon Peter Ellis and establish a commission of inquiry.
If the royal pardon is to serve it’s proper function as a constitutional safeguard against judicial mistakes, the minister must find the moral courage and political will to act when it is obvious that the judiciary has made a serious mistake.
Lynley Hood