Te Ururoa Flavell
MP for Waiariki

10 July 2013

Labour/National shut down inquiry

The Māori Party is reeling at the decision of both Labour and National parties, to shut down the proposed Māori Affairs Select Committee inquiry into the impact of Operation Eight.

“The concern for the Māori Party has always been how the events of 15 October 2007 impacted on the affected whānau, and the official responses made to them,” said Te Ururoa Flavell, MP for Waiariki.

“We had hoped that members of parliament from all parties would care about the human cost of Operation Eight; - that they would want to understand how ordinary New Zealanders felt about the initial actions of the Police and subsequent findings that many of those actions were contrary to law, unjustified and unreasonable.”

“My request for an inquiry into these matters, was to encourage my select committee colleagues to hold the law to account; to examine the IPCA report, and most of all to enable those who experienced the Police actions of that day to air their concerns.

“Ultimately we need to learn from the treatment inflicted on the people of my electorate and do everything in our power to prevent such an episode from recurring.

“Labour and National may have joined forces in rejecting the call for this inquiry; but all that means is that we in the Maori Party will need to find new ways to address the hurt and the harm suffered that day.”

The terms of reference were to look into:

• The circumstances related to the Police’s execution of a search warrant at a Whakatane residence and entering the neighbour’s property on 15 October 2007 including surveillance of the home prior to this event

• The treatment of individuals including their detention by Police; personal search; lack of access to basic necessities and the effect on personal wellbeing

• The impact of the IPCA report finding that police actions in undertaking personal search; and in entering the neighbour’s property and restricting her movements were ‘contrary to law, unjustified and unreasonable

• Why the IPCA report did not recommend an apology to the specific individuals affected by the Police management of Operation Eight

• The response of the New Zealand Police following the IPCA report and the consequences for affected persons

• Options for an apology or acknowledgment to be made to the affected persons by the New Zealand Police

ENDS

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