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Allegations of Abuse
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Wellington:
A commission of inquiry sparked by allegations of police pack rape will be
able to see files covered by secrecy provisions in the law under proposed
legislation introduced yesterday. The
Government set up the commission to inquire into police conduct and procedure
when receiving and investigating allegations of sexual assault made against
members of the police or their associates. Associate
Justice Minister Margaret Wilson said the Police Complaints Authority (PCA)
Amendment Bill would introduce temporary provisions enabling the commission
to fulfil its terms of reference by seeing PCA files on the matter. "Investigation
files held by the PCA are currently subject to blanket secrecy
provisions," Ms Wilson said. "This
is likely to include information gathered by police conducting investigations
on the PCA's behalf." The
provisions were designed to help the PCA get frank information from the
police and public during investigations. Such information could be
self-incriminating, personally embarrassing or there could be a fear of
retribution if confidentiality were not assured, Ms Wilson said. "However,
it is the view of the Government, the police and the Commission of Inquiry
itself that the commission's task will be hampered by its inability to
consider PCA files," she said. "It
is vital for public confidence in the commission, the police and the PCA that
this impediment be removed." The
Bill had its first reading under urgency last night before moving to a
"truncated" select committee process. The commission was not likely
to start considering the relevant PCA files until at least June and the
Government hoped the Bill would be law by then, Ms Wilson said. It
would apply only to the current commission and would expire a year after the
commission reported to the Governor-General. The
commission followed allegations by Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas she was pack
raped by three policemen in a police house in Rotorua in the 1980s. A
second allegation before the inquiry is that of Judith Garrett who said she was
raped by a constable at Kaitaia Police Station in 1988. - NZPA |
