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Allegations
of Abuse in NZ |
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The two women whose
accusations sparked a commission of inquiry into police culture say they have
lost confidence in the process set up to investigate their claims. Louise Nicholas and
Judith Garrett were told they could not speak at the commission hearings,
given the trials pending over their allegations of rape by policemen. The commission's
mandate has been changed to look only at police culture in general. Judge
Bruce Robertson has withdrawn, leaving only Dame Margaret Bazley. The complainants told
Linda Clark's Nine to Noon programme on National Radio they had held high
hopes for the inquiry. Judith Garrett had
waited 17 years for her complaint to be taken seriously. "It was going to
be in its own words, open and thorough, specific and public, and now only 15
months later, it's non-specific, secret and behind closed doors. Louise and I
aren't even included." She has written to
Attorney-General Michael Cullen accusing police of manipulation. She believed
the commission was avoiding the issue by citing the legal process. She wants
the commissioner to hear how their lives were affected. "I was easy to
slander," said Judith Garrett. "I was an immigrant and I didn't
have a large family. They destroyed me." Ms Nicholas said she
could wait until after the trials if that meant they would be heard. "It can proceed without
us, but our point is that everybody has the right to be heard, and I want
that right to be heard." Because hearings would
now be closed, Ms Nicholas said there should be no fear of prejudicing the
trials. "For me,
personally, it's a matter of, 'if you can't hear all, don't bother hearing
any', because it's not going to get anywhere."
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