Thursday, October 17, 2013



A gap that needs to be filled

Earlier today the Independent Police Conduct Authority released a damning report about an incident in which police had unlawfully trespassed, broken into a house, and beaten people (breaking someone's neck in the process) to unlawfully shut down a party. the police's response? A giant "fuck you":

Despite breaking the law by entering the house, Nicholls said none of the 11 officers involved had been, or would be, disciplined.

"Our belief is the police acted in good faith in terms of entering the property."


So, despite several apparent crimes being committed - including aggravated burglary - the police won't even discipline, let alone prosecute their own.

The Police refusing to hold their own to account is a constant problem. We need a solution. We need an NGO dedicated to mounting private prosecutions, to hold the police to account when they won't do it themselves.

But its not just the police. We also need an NGO to enforce electoral law, because the Police have repeatedly shown that they are unwilling to do so. It should not have been left to Graham McCready to bring a case against John Banks. And cases should have been brought against both Labour and National in 2005 for overspending.

The fact that we now need a body like this is an indictment on our justice system. But its where we're at. Who's up for it?