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NZ
Herald
February 9, 2004
Ellis note reinstated
MP questions ministry's motives for cutting
sentence from Peter Ellis report
NZPA
The removal of a
single sentence in a Ministry of Justice report into the Peter Ellis case has
been questioned by an MP.
The ministry has been accused of having a "vested interest" in the
Ellis case, after a ruling by the Ombudsman overturned a departmental
decision to keep the sentence from the public eye.
Documents released by Ellis campaigner and National MP Katherine Rich show
the ministry withheld the sentence from a report which she had requested
under the Official Information Act.
Mrs Rich had requested a copy of a 2001 ministry report, prepared for Justice
Minister Phil Goff, which looked at holding a commission of inquiry into the
Ellis case.
When she received her copy one sentence had been blacked out.
Mrs Rich appealed that decision to the Ombudsman, who ruled against the
department and allowed the sentence to be released publicly.
The sentence in question states: "It has to be acknowledged, however,
that such an inquiry is unlikely to be able to arrive at the truth and,
whatever its findings, may fail to satisfy current public doubts."
Mrs Rich said the sentence was "innocuous" and blacking it out was
"the height of silliness".
She now had concerns over the ministry's position on the Peter Ellis case.
"They seem hell-bent on not having an inquiry."
In explanation to the Ombudsman, the ministry said it withheld the
information "due to concerns that because of the particularly free and
frank nature of the sentence it might be misconstrued".
"The sentence in question was intended to convey in a very clear manner
the limitations that arise from the nature of the case (ie the considerable
period of time that had passed since the events at the creche took place) and
the polarised views of the people involved.
"However, given its particularly free and frank nature this bald
statement of fact might be interpreted as suggesting that such limitations
arise from inquiries of this nature rather than from the specific
circumstances of the Ellis case."
Mrs Rich and National Party leader Don Brash have instigated two petitions
with more than 3000 people calling for a Royal Commission into the Ellis
case.
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