Allegations of Abuse
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MPs
today united to unanimously pass legislation allowing a Commission of Inquiry
set up after allegations of police pack rape to consider previously
confidential information. The
Police Complaints Authority (Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct)
Amendment Bill will allow the commission to see files currently covered by
secrecy provisions. 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. It
introduces temporary provisions enabling the commission to fulfil its terms
of reference by seeing Police Complaints Authority (PCA) files on the matter.
Parliament
last night agreed to surprise changes to the legislation, put forward by ACT
MP Steven Franks, which will prevent the PCA disclosing information unless it
has received some assurances from the commission. The
assurances included the commission taking "all steps necessary or
desirable" to protect the confidential nature of information from the
PCA, such as publication restrictions or closed hearings. The
prohibitions could be waived by those who had given the original evidence to
the PCA. Mr
Franks today said the commission needed a high degree of transparency to
ensure it was not seen as another cover up. However, it also needed to
consider those who had previously given evidence to the PCA, believing it to
be confidential. "In
this case there's a statutory immunity – effectively the statute says to
people who give information to the PCA that they can be confident that they
will not have their particulars disclosed," he said. Associate
Justice Minister Rick Barker, on behalf of Justice Minister Phil Goff, told
Parliament the bill was a balancing act between equally compelling but
competing interests. "I
believe this bill represents the best possible balance, and its unanimous
support by Parliament is testament to that," he said. "This
bill will assist the Commission of Inquiry to restore the public's confidence
in one of the world's best police forces." National
MP Tony Ryall agreed that "I
have never known a time when people who have normally been steadfast and
loyal supporters of the "As
a legislator, I do not like that situation in this country and I'm absolutely
determined that this House must act to restore public confidence and faith in
the New Zealand Police which is, indeed, a force that New Zealanders should
be proud of." The
commission follows allegations by Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas that she was
raped in a police house in Rotorua in the 1980s. Ms
Nicholas has alleged Clint Rickards, now a police assistant commissioner, and
former police officers Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum pack raped her. The men
have strongly denied the allegations. Mr
Rickards has been stood down from his job as The
commission will also consider the investigation into the alleged rape of
Judith Garrett by a constable at Kaitaia Police Station in 1988. |