22 May 2013
It is with a sense of relief to finally receive after 5 and half years of waiting the report into police actions that
took place in Ruatoki and throughout New Zealand on October 15 2007.
This has been a difficult and drawn out process and it is with trepidation that we received the report today. The IPCA
report has stated in its response to our whanau complaint given within a month of the October 15 2007t hat “detaining
Maria and Amie, and taking them to Whakatane police station “amounted to arbitrary detention. These actions were
contrary to law, unjustified and unreasonable...“Police actions in undertaking personal searches of Maria and Amie were
contrary to law, unjustified and unreasonable” It was also found that police actions in entering our neighbors’ property
and restricting her movements were contrary to law, unjustifiable and unreasonable”.
As a whanau we are currently considering the report in its fullest and seeking advice as to where to next.
Whanau o Tame Iti and Maria Steens
ENDS