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Government Inquiry into handling of Robertson case announced
Hon Amy Adams
Minister of Justice
Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
Minister of Corrections
10 August 2015
Government Inquiry into handling of
Robertson case announced
Justice Minister Amy Adams and Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga have today released the draft Terms of Reference for the Government Inquiry into the handling of the Tony Robertson case.
The draft Terms of Reference focus on:
• the management of Mr Robertson by Corrections prior to and following his release from prison
• the way government agencies dealt with Mr Robertson’s offending following his release from prison
• the operational practices relating to the release of high-risk offenders.
“Mel Smith CNZM has been asked to head the Inquiry. As a former Ombudsman and Acting Secretary for Justice, Mr Smith brings a wealth of experience of the public sector and has earned a reputation for delivering high-quality reviews that are above reproach,” says Ms Adams.
The Terms of Reference will be finalised following consultation with the reviewer.
“In light of the public safety issues arising from Mr Robertson’s offending while subject to release conditions, it is important that the inquiry answers the many questions the public has around the agencies’ management of the case,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.
The inquiry has been jointly commissioned by the Justice Minister and Corrections Minister.
The inquiry is being established under the Inquiries Act 2013 and will report back by end of November 2015.
Attached: Draft Terms of Reference for Robertson Inquiry
About the reviewer:
Mel Smith served as an Ombudsman from 2001 to 2007. Most of Mr Smith's working life was spent in the former Department of Justice in a variety of roles including Chief Inspector and later Acting Secretary for Justice. He also spent four years as Deputy Secretary for Internal Affairs and a period as Acting Chief Executive, Government Superannuation Fund. He has chaired various Ministerial reviews including the reviews of the General Election Process in 1999, the Criminal Justice Sector in New Zealand in 2007, the Department of Work and Income in 2011, and the employment of a convicted sex offender in the Education Sector in 2012. He was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2006.
http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1508/Draft_Terms_of_Reference_for_Robertson_Inquiry.pdf
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