Otago Daily Times
April 1, 2004
Legislation aimed at opening police authority files
Submissions call on inquiry Bill
NZPA
Wellington: Parliament is calling for submissions on proposed legislation to
allow a commission of inquiry, sparked by allegations of police pack rape, to
see files covered by secrecy provisions in the law.
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.
The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) Amendment Bill will introduce temporary
provisions enabling the commission to fulfil its terms of reference by seeing
PCA files on the matter.
Parliament's law and order committee is calling for submissions on the Bill by
April 14.
The commission followed allegations by Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas 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
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.