Police keep bugged chat secret
Conversation referring to Haumaha by name will not be made public.
Abugged phone conversation in which Deputy Police Commissioner Wally Haumaha is referred to by name is being kept secret by police.
The Herald on Sunday asked for transcripts of telephone conversations intercepted by Operation Austin detectives investigating historic rape allegations against police officers.
Haumaha was friends with Brad Shipton, Bob Schollum and Clint Rickards and worked with them in the Rotorua police station in the 1980s and 1990s.
Operation Austin began in 2004 when Louise Nicholas publicly accused the trio of raping her.
Her allegations led to a wide-ranging Commission of Inquiry into police conduct.
Haumaha was a Senior Sergeant at the time and was interviewed as part of the investigation into Nicholas’ allegations.
He described his three friends in glowing terms, while another police officer said Haumaha told him Nicholas’ allegations were a “nonsense”.
A government inquiry will now probe why those comments — which Haumaha has apologised for — were not disclosed to Police Minister Stuart Nash and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern before they recommended his appointment as Deputy Police Commissioner in June.
As part of an ongoing investigation, the Herald on Sunday asked the police under the Official Information Act to release any Operation Austin job sheets — typed notes made by police officers during inquiries — or intercepted conversations which mention Haumaha.
The police asked for more time to collect the job sheets which mention Haumaha before deciding whether the documents will be released. While there were no records of Haumaha speaking to anyone whose phone was tapped, the police said his name was mentioned by those under surveillance.
“On one occasion, the parties to a conversation have made a brief reference to Mr Haumaha by name,” wrote Jane Archibald, the acting deputy chief executive for public affairs. She declined to release the transcript under privacy grounds.
“Interception of private communications is an invasive investigation technique. Information contained in private communications or in a transcript obtained from an intercepted communication is personal to the participants to the conversation,” Archibald wrote.
“On the basis that a government inquiry is intended to address public interest concerns regarding the process for the appointment of Deputy Commissioner Haumaha, and considering the strong privacy interest with intercepted private communications, police believe there are no other considerations which render it desirable, in the public interest, to make that information available.”
The Herald on Sunday has appealed the police decision and the Chief Ombudsmen, Judge Peter Boshier, is investigating.
HWatch the video at nzherald.co.nz Celine Dion wowed her fans last night as she started a run of soldout concerts at Auckland’s Spark Arena.
More than 30,000 people will watch the Grammy-winning artist at the three concerts, with another to be held tonight and the third on Tuesday.
Dion is here for the first time in more than 20 years.
Last night’s show opened with Veronic DiCaire getting one of the very few standing ovations for an opening act. She performed covers of hit diva songs like Whitney Houston’s and Christina Aguilera’s massive applause.
Dion took to the stage in a golden suit, silhouetted in a single spotlight.
The crowd of thousands immediately got to their feet for the opening number
followed immediately by ,to “Well we made it,” said Dion. “We made it back here and it feels so amazing. I cannot believe it’s been 22 years since our last trip in New Zealand — way too long, unacceptable. I’m sorry. I’m so happy to be back. “Tonight what do you say we make up for all that lost time?” she said. “Our tour is almost over and Auckland is our last stop. I’m just wondering: do you think we saved the best for last?” “Tonight it’s your music, it’s your concert. I want you to have a great time,” said Dion. “Are you ready?”
She then launched into and the crowd was on their feet dancing.
Dion was also busting out some classic dance moves, and playing up to the cameras and the front row. Auckland Transport advised people to arrive early, as public transport could be extremely busy.