NZ Police Appear Unlikely To Lay Charges Over Teapot Tapes
Ipredict Ltd
Media
Statement
Friday 23 March 2012
www.ipredict.co.nz
NZ Police
Appear Unlikely To Lay Charges Over Teapot Tapes
Early trading on New Zealand’s online predictions market, iPredict, suggests less than a 50% chance the New Zealand Police will lay charges associated with last year’s teapot tapes controversy that embroiled Prime Minister John Key, Act Leader John Banks, freelance cameraman Bradley Ambrose, New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters, the Herald on Sunday, TV3 and various other political figures and media organisations.
Since a contract on the question was launched this morning, there have been more than 150 trades, with the price falling from an opening of 50c to 42c – suggesting only a 42% probability charges will be announced against Mr Ambrose and/or any other natural or legal person before 1 May 2012.
iPredict’s 6000 registered traders and anyone else who signs up for free at https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=register can trade the new stock at https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=contract_detail&contract=TEAPOT.CHARGES.
The teapot tapes refer to a recording made by Mr Ambrose on 11 November 2011 at a photo opportunity at Newmarket’s Urban Cafe at which Mr Key, the leader of the National Party, signalled his preference for centre-right voters in the Epsom electorate to vote for Mr Banks rather than the National candidate.
Mr Ambrose said he accidentally recorded the conversation at the photo opportunity between Mr Key and Mr Banks. Mr Key, however, said the conversation was private, and that the recording was deliberate and “News of the World-style tactics.” He referred the matter to the Police.
Two and a half weeks ago, TVNZ reported Deputy Commissioner Mike Bush as saying a decision on whether or not to prosecute “should be within days, as opposed to weeks.”
TVNZ also reported Mr Bush as saying that three staff had been assigned to the case and that the investigation was “very near completion and there's some recommendations with our legal people.”
This morning, the New Zealand Herald reported Police National Headquarters spokesman Grant Ogilvie saying that an announcement would be made soon.
ENDS