Haumaha report farce continues
7 November 2018
Haumaha report farce continues
National’s Police spokesperson Chris Bishop says the Government should immediately release the report into the appointment of Wally Haumaha as Deputy Commissioner of Police.
“Much like the whole Wally Haumaha affair, the release of the report into his appointment has been an utter farce.
“First, Minister of Internal Affairs Tracey Martin only gave a copy of the report to the Prime Minister on Monday, and won’t give a copy to the Police Minister Stuart Nash, when it was Mr Nash who proposed appointing him in the first place. Why not?
“Second, the Minister says she is taking
‘legal advice’ about giving the report to one of her
Ministerial colleagues, the Minister of State Services. Why
on earth does she need to take legal advice about giving a
copy of the report to one of her own colleagues?
“Third, the Minister claims she can’t release the report because of ‘pre-releases to those who need to see the report—e.g., those who participated in it.’
“However, it has been a public law principle since the Justice Mahon inquiry into Erebus in 1981 that people mentioned in inquiry reports have an opportunity to comment on the report before it’s released. My understanding is that has been the case in this inquiry, so the Minister’s excuse is utter bunkum.
“Fourth, why is the Minister of State Services releasing the report in the first place? The report is to Tracey Martin as Minister of Internal Affairs. The Minister is all-but confirming what I have said from the start, which is that she should never have been put in charge of the inquiry in the first place.
“Tomorrow morning the Police Commissioner appears before the Justice Committee for the Annual Review of the Police. He is also appearing for 30 minutes to answer questions about the Police response to the Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct.
“It is imperative the report is released in advance of his appearance at the committee so the committee can do its job properly.”