Peters produces no evidence

Police Minister George Hawkins says New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has not produced any evidence or demonstrated any improper behaviour or action by police around a decision not to prosecute Philip Edwards over an incident at Rocky Nook Rd, Auckland, in September 2002.

"Police have behaved appropriately," Mr Hawkins said.

In line with principles of constabulary independence there had been and there would not be any political interference in police operational matters relating to specific cases, he said.

"This is in line with the valuable Westminster tradition that politicians have no place in determining or seeking to influence police in such matters.

"This is a critical principle, and it is a matter of real concern that Winston Peters seems to be advocating this should happen.

"As Assistant Commissioner Peter Marshall said in an interview this morning, there has been no political interference in this case, no judicial interference, police acted alone, they acted quite properly and with integrity and to suggest otherwise is complete nonsense."

Mr Hawkins said it was time Mr Peters 'put up or shut up.'

"If he has any evidence of any wrong doing by police, let's see it," Mr Hawkins said.

Mr Peters had demonstrated no grounds as to why police actions in this case warranted an inquiry, he said.

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>