Otago Daily Times
May 14 2004

Rape inquiry legislation passed
MPs unite over Bill
NZPA

Wellington: MPs yesterday 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 covered at present 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 agreed to changes to the legislation, put forward by Act New Zealand 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 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.