The killing of George Tipene Harris:

What happened to George Tipene Harris is as shocking as what happened to his cousin, Nicholas Ward Harris.  Both murdered by taxpayer funded thugs in uniform.

Two Police officers were convicted and jailed for their part in the fatal assaults viciously inflicted on George Tipene Harris that night, and the evidence of the corrupt cover up is extremely damning indeed.  The Chief Coroner also considers that there is cause for concern regarding this matter, recently writing:

Judge MacLean is an eminently sensible Judge who understands his role as a jurist and conducts it with integrity, and transparency - because when you act with integrity you have no fear of transparency.

On the other hand, here's some transparency into the Police 'investigation' - Police lied to cover up for an off duty mate who delivered a sadistic beating to George Tipene Harris - a FATAL sadistic beating - here's how your taxes are being spent covering up murder and corruption!  Dead men don't tell stories - but others do, and good on them.  The meaning of life is redemption.  It's the putting right that counts.

Here is the report of  Constable Douglas PEACH, who 'investigated' the vehicle which is alleged to have hit Mr Harris, killing him - Constable PEACH states in his formal report that the registration number of the vehicle was CHM 187:

Now, here is another report.  This one was written the following day, by Senior Constable Karl WILSON, who seems to have been 'investigating' a completely different road sweeping truck.  - This one had the registration BRM 987.

In the photograph of the street sweeping truck which is contained in the Police report, embedded below, and linked to separately in order to enable viewers to enlarge this photograph, it can be seen that the registration plate has clearly been either removed from the vehicle - there is no mention of it in the reports of anyone at the scene, so it is not credible that it fell off the vehicle at the scene of the killing - or deliberately obliterated from the photograph of the truck.

Coroner Sarn Herdson led the predictable whitewash and damage control grave-y train.  Interested parties may write to Coronial Services and request the Coroner's file to verify these allegations.  There was no mention of the discrepancy between the two registration plates or any of the other relevant and damning facts regarding this blatant cover up of a vicious homicide.

In November 2009 Police Constable Clinton HILL pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter, assault, and perverting the course of justice.   Evidence was given that HILL had killed HARRIS and lied about it - and bribed other witnesses, including other Police officers - to lie about it.

It was reported on the 10th December 2009 that the jury had been unable to reach a verdict on the charges of assault, and perverting the course of justice, against Police Constable Clinton HILL, but acquitted him on another charge of manslaughter.  The family of George HARRIS was shocked at the verdict.

What the jury were undoubtably not told about was the fact that two of those other Police officers that were 'incentivised' to lie about the matter had been sentenced to jail for their part in the killing less than a year earlier.

Constables Reuben James Harris and Benson Lyle Murphy had initially protected their mate, Constable Clinton Hill, who assaulted George Tipene Harris while off-duty in the back of their police car.

Reuben Harris and Murphy pleaded guilty to conspiring to defeat the course of justice.  Another police officer, who allegedly spoke to Hill at the scene, is also charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.  We believe this is Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA, who told the junior officers what to say, and told them to falsify their statements.  There is no word of what happened to Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA, if anything.

The court heard that Hill had been out drinking on October 3 2004, and allegedly arrested George Harris in Manukau after he attempted to grab a phone from his pocket to call a taxi.  Hill was off duty, out drinking.

Murphy and Reuben Harris stopped in their patrol car and agreed to take Hill and Mr Harris to the station.

Reuben Harris said Murphy got out of the car and Hill asked him to drive down an alleyway and then began assaulting the victim.

George Harris escaped and Hill gave chase. Murphy and Reuben Harris later found Hill kneeling over Mr Harris's body on Great South Rd. George Tipene Harris was a second cousin of Reuben Harris, and was also related to Murphy.

Murphy said a sergeant who arrived at the scene told him and Harris what to say in their statements to investigators, which involved leaving out the alleged assault.

In March this year, a former officer told police that Murphy had told him before the 2005 inquest that his account to investigators was false.

Police reinterviewed Murphy, who had become a recruit with the Queensland police, and Reuben Harris, who had resigned from the force in December 2006, and the pair admitted making false statements.

The men agreed to testify against their former colleagues.  They have met the victim's family, who have accepted their apology.  Sadly, the whistleblowers are locked up and shut up, while a homicidal liar who encouraged so many other NZ Police Officers to also lie to cover up his sadistic killing, walks free among us.
Links will be updated in this report to evidence and information regarding this matter, in the next few days.

Transparency NZ are assisting members of Mr Harris's family to write to the Solicitor General about this matter, and take further action in the Courts to ensure accountability, and see that justice is served for George and his cousin Nick.

Here is the Police report into the death of George Tipene Harris, it is disturbing on a whole lot of levels (click the < arrow in the top left hand corner and then use the scroll bars to view, or access directly at this link).



Particularly damning is the statement of Constable Reuben Harris.  Reuben Harris states that his supervisor is Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA.  It's also just fascinating that there is no statement on this file from Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA, the officer in charge of the scene.  The driver of the truck alleged to have struck George Harris had been drinking, but was assured by Police officers that the death had nothing to do with him and he was - incredibly - allowed to leave the scene of the crime - and apparently allowed by Police to drive the truck away too!



Police caught up with him hours later, and breath tested him.  He was found to have a significant amount of alcohol in his system - as did Clinton Hill.  Why was he allowed to leave the scene?

The Police have withheld the age of Constable Reuben Harris, this is ridiculous, the public have a right to know how old he is.  Apparently Constable Reuben Harris - a key witness to the assault and killing of George Tipene Harris on 3rd October - was not interviewed until THREE DAYS LATER.  His statement was taken on Wednesday the 6th October 2004, the taking of his statement began at 9:55 pm and finished at 1:15 am.

At around 4 am on the 3rd of October Constable Benson Lyle Murphy and Constable Reuben Harris were cruising around Manukau in their Police car when they just happened to come across their mate. Constable Clinton Hill, who was off duty, and drunk, and George Tipene Harris, who was related to two of these Police officers.  There's also the question of whether they just happened to come across him or whether the phone calls between off duty cop Clint Hill and his brother resulted in the victim crossing paths with his killers that morning.  Constable Reuben Harris was driving.  Clinton Hill states that he was taking George Harris to Wiri Police station.

Constable Murphy states that Hill forced George Tipene Harris into the Police car and allegedly told him and Murphy that he - Clint Hill - had "arrested" George Tipene Harris.  Problematic on a whole lot of levels - Hill was off duty, drunk, aggressive and unreasonable.  He was looking for a confrontation and with George Tipene Harris and he co-erced Murphy and Reuben Harris into going along with it.  Bullying is all good fun - until someone loses a leg, and their life.  And the whistleblowers are locked up while the killers walk free.

So, Hill forced George Tipene Harris into the car, telling his mates that it was because George had "tried to take his cellphone" and "ripped his jacket" - showing them a little bit of white fluff as "evidence" of this alleged crime.  Neither Murphy or Reuben Harris cautioned George Tipene Harris or told him he was under arrest and what for.  "Trying to take a cellphone" and "ripping a jacket" are not listed under the Summary Offences Act or the Crimes Act, and the evidence shows that the so called arrest of George Tipene Harris was unlawful, and that it was in fact kidnapping.

Constable Murphy states that he noticed that Clinton Hill was intoxicated, but that he "seemed of his wits to know what he was saying and I was not concerned about that issue at all."  Murphy had only been a Police officer for 18 months.

He states that Clinton Hill "was worried that he may be inconveniencing us."

He then states that instead of taking Clinton Hill and George Tipene Harris to the Police station, they drove up the road and conspired in the killing of George Tipene Harris.  George's friends tell how the last they saw of George was when Clinton Hill grabbed him and marched him down the road to his death.  They went to the Police station to pick him up, like Hill told them to, but George never made it to the Police station.  He died on the side of the road after a bashing by Hill and his mates, and his death was corruptly covered up.

Constable Murphy states that after Clinton Hill forced George Harris into the car they drove up the road and Murphy and Reuben Harris got out of the car, leaving Hill in the back with George Harris, who they state was drunk - and so was Hill according to Murphy and Rueben Harris, and unrestrained. Constable Benson Lyle Murphy states that Clinton Hill was shouting at George Harris. Murphy states that they were going to take George to Manurewa Police station - he never made it to Wiri OR Manurewa or any other Police station - after Police "took him for a little ride" and beat him up and chased him to his death for "bumping into" a drunken off duty cop with an attitude problem.

George Harris got out the unlocked door of the Police car, Clinton Hill tried to get out his door but the kiddie lock was on on his side - but not on George Harris's side - so Hill got out the driver's side and chased George Harris up the road to his death.

Constables Murphy and Reuben Harris gave chase in the Police car.  Constable Benson Lyle Murphy states that they then "came across" Hill and George Harris again, but Harris was already dead or dying by then.

Constable Murphy states that when they pulled up next to Hill and George Harris, Hill stated that he couldn't feel the pulse of George Tipene Harris.  Constable Murphy called an ambulance, and then noticed a street sweeping truck pull up in front of the patrol car, he states that it was not there when the patrol car pulled up.  He states that he questioned the driver of the street sweeping truck, Constable Murphy states that he asked the driver of the street sweeping truck "Did you hit him" and the driver, Mr Semisi Cocker, stated "Yes."

Constable Murphy then told Clinton Hill to move away from George Harris, proceeded to roll him into the recovery position and ascertained that he was actually breathing.  Constable Murphy tried to assess George's injuries, he could see that his leg was "mangled" in fact it was almost completely severed, if not completely severed, evidence indicates the latter, blood was coming from his ear and there was blood on his face.  His eyes were rolled back in his head.  Constable Murphy stayed there with George, talking to him, telling him that the ambulance was coming.  Constable Reuben Harris walked away and occupied himself talking to a tow truck driver who had arrived on the scene - there is no statement from the tow truck driver, or from Glen SETU - another witness, and no statement from Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA - the ringleader of the coverup apparently.

After Constable Murphy helped to put George in the ambulance - which was dispatched as a priority TWO - and as such proceeded to the scene slowly, without sirens or lights, no hurry - appallingly! - Constable Murphy then asked for a supervisor to come to the scene.  Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA then arrived and "the scene was turned over to Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA."  Evidence at the scene was treated extremely carelessly to the point of deliberate negligence.

Constable Reuben James Harris had also been a Police officer for less than two years, having graduated in November 2002.  His age has also been withheld by Police - because it is indicative of a lack of maturity and experience!  And therefore in the public interest and RELEVANT!  Constable Reuben Harris was driving the patrol car and Murphy was in the front passenger seat.

Constables Reuben Harris and Murphy, and George's friends, confirm that George Tipene Harris was not aggressive at all, and that Clint Hill was, George was apologetic and submissive, while Hill shouted at him aggressively demanding to know why he tried to "steal" his phone.  Hill was also already wound up and aggressive because of a series of phone calls from his brother.  Hill confirms that he indicated that George's friends could use his phone, there was apparently a misunderstanding, no doubt caused by both parties being significantly affected by alcohol and Clinton Hill being affected by adrenalin after the phone calls with his brother indicating danger - whether real or imagined or deliberately fabricated - and it seems that the latter was the case.

Reuben James Harris and Benson Lyle Murphy were sentenced to 15 months jail in August 2008 after pleading guilty to conspiring to defeat the course of justice after they lied to try and protect Hill.

In the High Court on 2 March 2009 Justice Pamela Andrews quashed their prison sentences, instead sentencing them to 10 months home detention, the Dominion Post reported.

Harris and Murphy had immediately appealed their initial sentences and were bailed without spending a day in to prison.

Justice Andrews did not give a reason for her decision.

Hill is due to appear in the High Court at Auckland on 2 March 2009 charged with Mr Harris's manslaughter, while a police sergeant has been charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Corporal punishment:

On Thursday 28 February 2013, Kurt Bayer of the NZ Herald published a 'news report' stating "Inquest: NZ Soldier took own life in Afghanistan".  The brief few lines stated that the death was a suicide and the Coroner, Gordon Matenga, was satisfied with the causes and circumstances of the so called 'investigation' and 'Court of Inquiry' conducted by the Defence Force - the victim's employer.

On Sunday the 3rd March two further articles were published in the Herald, one at 11:30 a.m. entitiled "Defence Force not talking on soldier's death", which briefly outlined the statement that:

"the Defence Force" was "disappointed that the media chose to ignore the directions of the Coroner and publish an article today about the death of Corporal Douglas Hughes.  The Defence Force was asked a number of questions which they declined to answer as the Coroner had directed that "In addition to the standard order under section 71, pursuant to section 74 Coroners Act 2006, I prohibit from publication all evidence including the report of the Court of Inquiry, in the interests of justice and on the basis of personal privacy.  The wishes of the family as expressed to the New Zealand Defence Force was not to publicly comment on this case, and to allow the family the time and space they needed to come to terms with their loss and grief.

A second report was then published on Sunday 3rd March (at 3:40 p.m.) titled Privacy ignored in soldier's death.  This report repeated the previous propaganda, but zeroed in on the head of the Defence Force, Lt Gen Rhys Jones, and then the cracks started to appear in the story:

"We recognise that this has been a difficult issue for the family and our sympathies and support are with them," he said.
"The wishes of the family as expressed to the New Zealand Defence Force was not to publicly comment on this case, and to allow the family the time and space they needed to come to terms with their loss and grief."
Lt Gen Jones said the Defence Force provided personnel with psychological and physical health support before, during and after their deployment on operational missions.
He would make no further comment on the matter."

At 5:30 a.m. a report by David Fisher in the Herald revealed that the Coroner had attacked gay marriage in a submission to parliament strongly opposing a proposed gay marriage Bill, and that he was a former Mormon Bishop and an elder of the Mormon Church.  It also revealed that although the earlier reports had mislead readers into believing that an inquest had been held, in fact it hadn't.

Also at 5:30 a.m. another report appeared, by David Fisher and Audrey Young.  It was titled Family want open inquest and revealed that the earlier reports had been nothing more than carefully constructed propaganda.

Douglas Hughes and his proud family.  Douglas was of Ngapuhi descent.

Corporal Hughes' uncle Mike Poa said the family held strong concerns about the Defence Force's handling of the incident.

"The army have abdicated their responsibility." 

He said the family had hoped the coronial inquiry would satisfy their questions and he was angry Mr Matenga had decided not to hold an inquest. 

"It's his job to do an investigation."

"We're not embarrassed by the fact he [Corporal Hughes] is gay. I just feel personally they didn't do enough to support him. My feeling is perhaps he lacked access to the assistance he deserved."

"I don't think we've been told the truth," said Mr Poa. 

"The family reportedly believe Corporal Hughes was bullied because he was gay and received no support from commanders."

At 5:00 on the 4th March 2013 a report was published on the Stuff website saying that a contingent of troops was sent to Afghanistan unprepared for the deployment because of the defence force's involvement in the Rugby World Cup.

Fairfax Media learned that a Court of Inquiry into the death last year of Corporal Douglas Hughes, 26, found that because of the NZDF's involvement in World Cup security in September and October of 2011, training for the group, known as CRIB19, was reduced from the standard five weeks to just three.

The inquiry found that this meant various training outcomes were not achieved, including stress management and identification, there were not enough medical resources or training, and other contributing factors.  The report stated that the death of Corporal Douglas Hughes was preventable.

There was no inquest into my brother's death either, which was claimed to be suicide, until I obtained the file, which revealed that it was certainly not.  The pathologist told Police "I am not prepared to say that this man died of natural causes because he didn't."  Similarities too with the cover up regarding the death of Nicholas Ward Harris by the Department of Corrections.

This article appeared in the Northern Advocate shortly after Douglas's death:

"Venus Poa loved singing with her tall, handsome son Corporal Douglas Hughes.
They were karaoke stars, warbling through Cruisin' in the hit duet style of Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow. 

So Venus was delighted when she got a phone call from Afghanistan on her birthday late last month and 26-year-old Dougie wished her many happy returns.  "He said he would be home soon and I said I would be counting the days, as I couldn't wait to see him." 

But Dougie came home in a box after dying mysteriously while off-duty at the Romero Forward Patrol Base in Bamiyan province on April 3. The cause of his death has not been disclosed and is being investigated by the Army. 

"When I heard what had happened, I felt like my whole heart was ripped out," Ms Poa said. 

Dougie was buried after a military funeral at Pakotai last Thursday. Stricken, but keeping the tears at bay, Ms Poa has described the "hardest week of my life". 

"I really miss him. I am still coming to terms with his death," she said. "I don't know how long the investigation [into the cause of death] will take. I won't settle until I have closure on that." 

Ms Poa said Dougie was generous and affectionate. He had loved his family dearly and they had loved him. She recalled him eeling and camping as a youngster and growing into a leader in rugby, league and kapa haka. 

He enjoyed life in the army, which he had joined aged 17, but he hadn't been keen to serve a second tour of duty in Afghanistan, which he started in September last year.  "He went because he had trained some boys who were going over there for the first time and he didn't want to let them down," Ms Poa said. 

When the Northern Advocate asked how long the investigation into the cause of death could take, a Defence Force spokesman said: "Unfortunately, it simply is not possible to put a definitive timeframe on this process, which will include the collection of witness and expert medical testimony. The NZDF is also liaising closely with the coroner's office." 

The spokesman said the Defence Force had been keeping in touch with Corporal Hughes' family and would keep them informed of progress. 

Earlier, Defence Force chief Lieutenant General Rhys Jones would not be drawn on how Corporal Hughes had died, while an investigation was under way. 

"The only issues that we can confirm at this stage - there was no hostile action, no operational incident that caused his death," he said.  

At least one other person had been with Corporal Hughes when the incident occurred but General Jones would not reveal what they had said about the incident.

Corporal Douglas Hughes's mother says the coroner never contacted her family to ask whether they wanted an inquest into her son's death.

She has called for an open inquiry into the death because she believes a defence force Court of Inquiry was a ''whitewash''.

"There were a lot of flaws in this case." said Venus Poa.

An inquiry has found that Corporal Douglas Hughes's death was preventable, and that a contingent of troops was sent to Afghanistan unprepared for the deployment because of the defence force's involvement in the Rugby World Cup.

Pressure continues to mount for the inquest.  Hughes with his sergeant and another soldier right up until his death, the sergeant had frisked him for a weapon, obviously for a reason.  The sergeant failed in his duty to keep Corporal Douglas - and the other soldier -  safe and get him the support he needed.

A recent editorial in the Dominion Post has said that the Coroner has failed in his duty.  That justice must be seen to be done, that has been repeatedly flouted in this case, and that "There is only one way to fix the mess. The chief coroner must open an inquest. And he must tell Mr Matenga he's had his last chance."

Also relevant is the death of Serena Holroyd, Police Constable at Counties Manakau, who (while she was not gay, as far as I know) Serena was bullied by colleagues to the point where she just couldn't take it any more, and the culture of the Police and the armed forces needs transparency and investigation, because it's clearly dysfunctional - NZ has some of the highest rates of suicide in the world and here where I live we REGULARLY have TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

I recall an inquiry into allegations of bullying at Waiouru Cadet School a few years ago.  My father was head of the Cadet School for a few years and I know he wouldn't have covered up any bullying that happened while he was in charge, because he stuck up for victims of bullying.  It's a shame Lt Gen Rhys Jones and Coroner Gordon Matenga do the opposite.

Coroner Gordon Matenga

Corporal Douglas Hughes

Other creative decisions of the Coroners are also at this link.

Other news reports etc, regarding the death of Douglas Hughes are at these links:
http://news.tangatawhenua.com/archives/17038

In a few days it will be Anzac Day, 2013.  The Court Martial regarding the helicopter crash that happened on Anzac Day two years ago has found Flt Lt Pezzaro not guilty because of the culture of poor decision making that was in place at the time, serious questions have also been raised in the matter of the death of another soldier, Michael Ross, who drowned in Lake Moawhanga, his funeral was held hours after the violent death of another soldier from Linton.

Alcohol and journalism don't mix:

The question mark in the title of this article is a real Freudian slip. This is a work of fiction, designed to cover up a firmly entrenched local problem of alcohol abuse. Police support and condone it because they are among the worst offenders.

Sam Priestley died after being pressured to drink a yard glass of beer in the family home and then go to the pub and drink some more. The reporter, Nathan Crombie uses words like "the traditional quaff" "cheered on by family and friends", etc, to try and 'normalise' and excuse this behaviour. Sam was a really, really nice guy, his mother worked with me at St Matthews Collegiate, as a Boarding Matron, she is an alcoholic, she encourages and approves of this culture of alcohol abuse and is in total denial of the fact that alcohol was almost certainly involved in the death of her son, and was almost certainly the cause of it. Recently it has been reported in the news that the Department of Corrections is stating it is dangerous to drink a similar quantity of WATER in a short period of time.

Nathan Crombie is a great supporter of this sick attitude to alcohol and bending the truth to the point of lying, it's time to have a good look at the journalists who shape the opinions of the community with this fiction. They invent and fabricate stories like this to protect their friends and their reputations.

This attitude of denial, and "cheering on" this "traditional quaff", is causing the problem. Five days after Sam died people who should have known better were proclaiming that it had "nothing to do with alcohol or drugs." - Alcohol IS a drug for goodness sake and this kind of "reporting" isn't journalism - it's FICTION and propaganda!  It was another year or so until the Coroner's report.

Five days after Sam died, the irresponsible authors of fiction at the Wairarapa Times-Age published the following:

"Sam died suddenly of an undetermined medical condition at his 21st birthday party at the Homestead Tavern on Saturday."

Mr Phillips said it was "not pills or booze or anything like that" that led to Sam's death, but "faulty wiring was probably the best way to describe it".

Sam's father, Randall Priestley, agreed with this assessment, but added an alternative view.

"Maybe his heart was overfull ? look at everyone here." (sic).

An undetermined medical condition is one that doesn't exist yet basically.

Recently another young man died, and it will be a long while before it's known exactly what caused his death - if ever. It's possible it may be to an undetermined medical condition, but it's important to examine the decisions of coroners.

This is a link to another creative decision from a Coroner. This young woman expressed a clear intent and a plan, and then took the action she said she would for the reason she gave, no matter how much others don't like that, and the decision that it isn't suicide is outrageous quite frankly. If it's not, if it's "text bullying" - then the NZ Police need to charge Rachel Betteridge and her husband forthwith for sending me messages saying "you need a bullet" and "watch your back" - not to mention PERJURY!

Betteridge lied to police, I did not send her "over 60 offensive text messages" at all - I didn't send her ONE offensive text message! Statements from two Justices of the Peace, George Groombridge and Ken English, state clearly that they examined the phone Betteridge alleges she received the messages from, and found those two threatening and offensive messages FROM Betteridge in the text message 'Inbox'.

Coroner's findings regarding the death of Steven Wallace, shot by Police:

Steven Wallace was shot in Waitara by Police Constable Keith Abbott.

Here is the Coroner's findings on the death of Steven Wallace (which can also be viewed at this link), and the response of the Police complaints authority is at this link.

Paragraph forty seven is particularly disturbing, as are the actions of Kristy McDonald.


The recommendation that Police should be drug and alcohol tested has been ignored to date.  So has the recommendation that the Police review secrecy provisions:


14.23.2013 - Shane Cowlishaw, Fairfax:

"Work on implementing one of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct has been quietly shelved because of a lack of resources.

The commission, headed by Dame Margaret Bazley, was set up in 2004 in response to allegations by Louise Nicholas of police rape and coverup.

Its report was published in 2007, making 60 recommendations, including a revamped code of conduct and the recruitment of more women.

Twelve recommendations were also made regarding the Independent Police Conduct Authority, the body set up to investigate complaints.

But almost six years on from the report, one recommendation aimed at ensuring those complaints are investigated properly has been canned.

A briefing from the Ministry of Justice to Justice Minister Judith Collins, provided under the Official Information Act, reveals work on the recommendation requiring the ministry to review the secrecy provisions in the authority's legislation was stopped in July last year.

The authority and its staff are required to maintain secrecy in all matters, and information cannot be used in criminal or disciplinary proceedings.

Authority members cannot be called to give evidence.

The recommendation demanded that the secrecy provision be reviewed to ensure it did not inappropriately prevent the authority from investigating complaints that may result in criminal or disciplinary proceedings against members of the police.

In 2009 the work was put on hold because of "other Government priorities" and it was recommended it be stopped altogether.

The main risk in discontinuing the work was an "adverse public perception" that the authority is ineffective and simply refers matters back to police, it said.

"Although there is merit in undertaking further policy development on this issue, this is not a priority for the Government or agencies in the context of competing justice sector priorities."

Ms Collins said the review of secrecy provisions had been discontinued to progress other justice sector priorities.

"And the proof is in the pudding - New Zealanders continue to have high levels of trust and confidence in our police."

She said it would be "most inappropriate" for her to ask the IPCA, an independent body, to speed up or slow down its inquiries.

IPCA spokesman Andrew Baxter said each case was regularly reviewed to assess the impact it had, or may have, on criminal investigations as well as on judicial and coronial processes.

Some investigation reports may be delayed because of ongoing criminal proceedings, such as its look into complaints stemming from the Urewera raids."

How long are New Zealanders going to put up with this bullshit and blatant corruption!?

Our Police force are a disgrace!  Local officers have engaged in blatant politically motivated corruption involving serious violence - and have been involved in a so called 'investigation' into how they've been throwing hundreds of child abuse files in the rubbish bin and LYING about it - the so called 'inquiry' into it has been nothing but a great big gravy train for all involved!  It never even involved interviewing Mark McHattie!  And both him and the Area Commander have been actually PROMOTED instead of imprisoned!