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The Christchurch Civic
Creche Case |
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David Bain's success at the Privy
Council is sparking debate about the New Zealand judicial system. United Future leader Peter Dunne believes
the Privy Council has identified serious deficiencies in the way evidence is
presented to New Zealand courts in quashing Bain's murder conviction. Bain's
legal team describe the ruling as an indictment of the New Zealand judicial
system. Mr Dunne says in the last decade
alone, similar allegations around the presentation of evidence have dogged
major cases such as the Peter Ellis, Rex Haig, David Dougherty and Scott
Watson cases. Mr Dunne says the lay person's
presumption is that all relevant material is put before the court so the jury
can decide guilt or innocence. But he says in reality the process is far more
selective and is now open to serious questioning. Peter Dunne believes many New
Zealanders will share his feeling of disquiet around the way in which
criminal trials are conducted in New Zealand. He says there needs to be a
review of rules of evidence and court procedure. National's Justice spokesman Simon
Power is cool on the issue, saying rules of evidence have already been
reviewed. He says a lot of work has been put into the new Evidence Bill by
the Justice Select Committee and the nation should wait and see what follows
from that. |
