Turei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is subject to correctionTurei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 07 November 2013. Volume:694;Page:14484. Text is subject to correction.]4.METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) to theMinister of Police: When was she first advised that Police had received a complaint from a girl who alleged she had been raped by members of a group calling themselves the Roast Busters?Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Police): My office was advised in a phone call from Police National Headquarters at about 5.55 last night. I was advised by my office just after the start of the 6 o’clock news.Metiria Turei: Does the Minister share the confidence of the Prime Minister regarding the police response to this case that “If there is criminal wrongdoing that they can follow up on and take action then I’m absolutely confident that they will do their job and do it … thoroughly professionally.” given that she has now referred the police response to that case to the Independent Police Conduct Authority?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: I have made it clear in this House today that I do have confidence in the police but there are enough questions over this case partly because information has literally dribbled out this week that have prompted me to ask the Independent Police Conduct Authority to conduct a full investigation into it. It is really important that the public have confidence in the police processes around serious sexual assaults.Metiria Turei: What reasons have the police given the Minister for waiting days to correct the statement that was made on Sunday that “None of the girls have been brave enough to make formal statements to us so that we can take that to a prosecution stage or even consider a prosecution stage.”?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: I have made it clear today how disappointed I am that neither I nor the commissioner nor even the district commander knew that a formal complaint had been lodged by a 13-year-old girl 2 years ago but the commissioner does assure me that that formal complaint was very thoroughly investigated and did not produce enough evidence to take a case to court.Metiria Turei: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am not trying to make a political point but I did ask what reasons the police gave for failing to provide the accurate information in a timely way and that was not answered.Mr SPEAKER: No I think it was. As I interpreted the answer the question has been asked and they are still trying to find out the reason. The commissioner did not know and he was just as concerned. The way to tease this out is by further supplementary questions.Metiria Turei: Does the Minister consider that the police’s apparent failure to act in this particular case is likely to be isolated; if she does think so why?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: Again I am assured by the commissioner that the police conducted a thorough investigation into the formal complaint that was laid by the 13-year-old girl and did not produce enough evidence to take a case. But the very fact that there are still questions about the handling of this case is why I have referred it to the Independent Police Conduct Authority to give both me and the public the assurance that the way that the police handle these serious sexual assault cases is thorough and is in line with the new protocols and to give us all an assurance that this is an isolated case.Metiria Turei: What advice has the Minister sought on removing the systemic barriers that prevent the police from taking complaints to trial which lead the police to wait for more assaults on young girls to occur as has happened in this case for some years before they believe they have sufficient evidence to take the case to trial?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: Again the commissioner assures me that there has been a very thorough investigation and that that investigation has been ongoing for 2 years trying to put together enough evidence to meet the requirements to take a case to court. As recently as 2 weeks ago the other three girls were approached by police to try to get a formal complaint from them. In two cases their mothers refused and again the commissioner advises me that the third girl has also refused. No one underestimates the difficulties for these young girls in making a formal complaint but the police have done an enormous amount of work and I refer the member to the protocols that were tabled by the Minister of Justice in the House earlier this week. They were worked through with Louise Nicholas who was involved in a very notable case. She has worked very closely with police from a victim’s perspective. What I want to be able to assure New Zealanders through an Independent Police Conduct Authority report into this investigation and in particular into the investigation around the case of this young 13-year-old girl is that all those protocols were followed the victim was at the centre of the investigation and New Zealanders can have confidence in the police in order to come forward and make these complaints.Metiria Turei: Will the Minister support the urgent development of a specialist sexual violence court and an alternative process for sexual violence offence cases both of which have received very strong support from judges lawyers sexual violence support services and the public given the difficulties that victims have bringing their complaints to the police the difficulties the police have in dealing sensitively and responsively with those complaints and the police’s reluctance to take sexual violence cases to trial?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: First of all I have no ministerial responsibility for the development of such a policy but I have discussed it with the Minister of Justice who addressed it in this House earlier this week. These cases are extremely complex. One of the difficulties is trying to separate out a particular set of charges around these assault cases in order to try them in a different way from some of the other aspects of that case in which case you would be putting your victims through the process twice which is a difficult enough process anyway without revictimising a person and making them go through two lots of courts. It is ongoing. The Minister of Justice has made it clear that she is willing to talk with the police and her department about some ways of easing the process for these young women but these are very difficult cases to take to court and to prove.Metiria Turei: Will the Minister commit to leading a cross-party working group to build both a political consensus and also political urgency for the reforms of the court and police processes such as a specialist sexual violence court and changes to police process to better deliver real justice to the victims of sexual violence offences particularly children—as in this case—and better justice for their families and New Zealanders?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: Again I repeat that I have no ministerial responsibility. I cannot make that guarantee. But what I have said to try to explain to this House today is that the police have made enormous changes to the way that they deal with sexual assault cases and victims in particular. I would like the Independent Police Conduct Authority to investigate this case to give me reassurance and to give the public reassurance that as much as we can do—and will continue to do—has been put into practice by the police in this instance. But if the member and her party have any suggestions about how we can ease this process while still retaining the need to have evidence to take to court I would be delighted to hear it.