Tanczos Nandor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Tanczos Nandor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:624;Page:19107] 
2.  
NANDOR TANCZOS (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Police 
: Is he satisfied that the police force has a healthy culture? 
Hon PHIL GOFF (Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister of Police 
: Generally yes but not in every instance. 
Nandor Tanczos 
: What is the Minister’s view on the statements by the Tasman district police commander to the  
Nelson Mail  
last month that in the case of Terrence Hunt who was found by a jury in a civil trial to have struck John Menzies with a police baton and a police torch to have kicked him and then to have fabricated evidence in order to wrongfully prosecute and imprison him no disciplinary action would be taken and it was time to move on; and what does that say about police culture? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: I think that every member of this House who deals with members of the police force generally would regard our police force in this country as being of a very high standard. That is not to say that police officers universally behave to the standards required and I think it is important that our system is responsive to dealing with misconduct or any corrupt or criminal action by police officers when allegations are made against them. We have seen that recently in south Auckland. It may be interesting for the member to know that last year 47 police officers were disciplined for misconduct for a variety of reasons but that number represents only 0.5 percent of our police force. 
Martin Gallagher 
: Further to the Minister’s immediate previous answer how did the reported misconduct by a police officer in the Counties-Manukau Police District come to public attention; and what was the response of the district commander? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: That is a case that everybody takes very seriously. It came to the attention of the police through allegations made to the police themselves. They conducted an internal inquiry and decided to press charges—which I think proves that the system does work. A judge made a comment that that case might represent a more widespread culture and we are concerned about that. The police commissioner has announced a wider and independent inquiry and announced today that Sir David Tompkins QC will oversee that inquiry. It will look at things such as whether there is evidence of a police culture that condones or encourages acts of violence or other inappropriate treatment towards prisoners. I think it is very important that that should happen. 
Keith Locke 
: Could the Minister tell us whether that inquiry will focus on a particular police district or be more general if it is really to address Judge Davidson’s comments that there is a sick culture and Sergeant Nelson’s comments that that culture is widespread in police stations throughout New Zealand? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: I think that the inquiry will focus in particular on the Wiri police district where the allegation that that culture exists has been made. If I may correct the member Judge Davidson did not say that the culture was widespread; he said that it may be. It is important that when a member of the judiciary expresses that concern or when there are actions like those that this man has now been convicted of such an inquiry does take place that it be independent and that it restore any confidence that may have been lost because of the actions of a small minority of police officers that are not acceptable. 
Stephen Franks 
: Can the Minister explain how the police culture can be healthy when the Minister of Police could not give a straight answer yesterday to two requests in response to a simple question—are the police instructed not to deliberately or carelessly mislead 111 callers? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: What that member has just said is his own interpretation of that answer. I can assure the member that the police are certainly under clear orders not to deliberately mislead or misdirect anyone. That stands to reason. 
Keith Locke 
: Is the Minister aware of the comments of Mr Solomona’s district commander—to whom he referred earlier as Superintendent Steve Shortland—that staff who speak anonymously to the media are “traitors who do it for money a free lunch sex or out of stupidity”; and is that not a culture of cover-up that helps to protect the sort of sadism we saw in the Solomona case? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: I have no knowledge of the comments that the member has quoted but I do know that the immediate response by the police to announce an investigation plus the fact that they took action when their internal investigation found that misconduct appeared to have occurred actually says exactly the opposite. I have in my hand a statement from the district commander Superintendent Steve Shortland. He states that the conduct uncovered is totally appalling and that while he believes that it is confined to a very small group of officers it is important that an investigation take place. That has been announced and it is under way. That is what is important. 
Nandor Tanczos 
: Can the Minister confirm that Senior Sergeant Anthony Solomona may now be entitled to a golden handshake in the form of a “perf” and that over recent years a number of police officers have left the force with full “perf” entitlements after being found guilty of or admitting to offences including indecent assault use of excessive force theft fraud and sexual harassment; and how long does the Government intend to allow corrupt officers to continue to rip off the system? 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: Clearly an internal disciplinary procedure will be initiated against Senior Sergeant Solomona and any other police officer who has been convicted of any offence. Should he resign or be sacked he is entitled to one thing and one thing alone: his superannuation which includes his own and his employer’s contribution. That is standard.