INDEPENDENT NEWS

Call For Independent Body To Replace PCA

Published: Mon 12 Jun 2000 05:23 PM
PETERS REITERATES CALL FOR INDEPENDENT BODY TO REPLACE POLICE COMPLAINTS AUTHORITY
Following up concerns he first raised publicly whilst Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Winston Peters MP, Leader of New Zealand First, today said the not guilty verdict in the Joe Karam defamation case highlighted serious questions regarding the Police Investigation into the murder of the Bain family.
Mr Peters also reiterated his longstanding call for an independent body to replace the existing Police Complaints Authority.
“Not because the Police have necessarily done anything wrong but because the public need to have their confidence restored in the process and be assured that internal investigations are conducted impartially and without bias from within,” said Mr Peters.
Mr Peters also applauded the Auckland District Law Society for releasing a paper on this issue and supporting the Attorney General’s call for a review of the Police Complaints Authority and, in particular, that the proposed review should “examine fully the question of whether or not the public can ever be confident in the independence of decisions of the PCA where investigations are carried out by other police officers and not by independent investigators employed by either a separate body or from within the PCA itself”.
“This is a serious issue of accountability that needs to be addressed by government and debated with the public,” said Mr Peters.
ENDS

Next in New Zealand politics

Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
By: New Zealand Government
GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan
By: New Zealand Government
New Zealand Provides Further Humanitarian Support To Gaza And The West Bank
By: New Zealand Government
High Court Judge Appointed
By: New Zealand Government
Parliamentary Network Breached By The PRC
By: New Zealand Government
Tax Cuts Now Even More Irresponsible
By: New Zealand Labour Party
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media