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.