The Press
April 3, 2004
Govt may cover legal fees
from Dominion Post
The Cabinet is to
consider paying the legal fees of women who have come forward to the commission
of inquiry into allegations of police rapes as pressure mounts for the
Government to help.
Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas, who sparked the commission of inquiry after
alleging she was pack-raped by three police officers in 1986, yesterday called
for the Government to pay her legal fees.
She said last night she was delighted the Cabinet would consider her request.
"If the Government is going to help out then that's mighty of them. It
will be good to have someone looking after my interests and explaining
things," she said. "People will need help legally during the
commission of inquiry but in many cases they can't afford it."
The Dominion Post, which broke the story, and
Television New
A lawyer has been acting for Nicholas while the police have interviewed her
extensively. She will also need representation at the commission of inquiry.
The Dominion Post and Nicholas first raised the issue in a letter to Prime
Minister Helen Clark on February 4. Clark passed it on to Attorney General
Margaret Wilson, but there had been no word from
She said the Cabinet would discuss the matter on Monday.
"I'm seeking advice on ways of assisting complainants with representation
at the commission of inquiry and I will be raising the matter with my Cabinet
colleagues on Monday." t