Under-fire top cop to speak at uni event
Under-fire Deputy Police Commissioner Wally Haumaha is set to represent the police as a speaker at a Victoria University-hosted international justice conference — despite an ongoing investigation into his recent promotion and allegations of bullying.
“Effective and Human”: Restorative and Ma¯ ori Justice Approaches to the Prison Crisis is touted as “a gathering focused on thinking creatively about how restorative justice and kaupapa Ma¯ori can offer fresh approaches in Corrections and prisoner reintegration”.
Haumaha is one of nine speakers listed for the conference and will not be removed from the lineup as a result of the investigation.
Haumaha was promoted to the role of deputy commissioner in June. Shortly after, the Herald revealed controversial comments made during Operation Austin, an investigation into historic police rape allegations made by Louise Nicholas.
He had described his friends Brad Shipton as a “softie” and Bob Schollum as a “legend” with women, while one officer told the 2004 investigation into the police sex allegations that Haumaha described Nicholas’ allegations as “a nonsense”.
The same day acting Prime Minister Winston Peters announced an inquiry into Haumaha’s promotion.
The inquiry will not look into Haumaha’s suitability for the role, rather whether all the relevant information was provided to, or gathered by, the State Services Commission panel which recommended Haumaha as one of two potential candidates for the senior job.
The inquiry will also consider allegations of bullying against a longserving senior officer.
The Herald sought comment from the university about his role as a speaker.
“The focus of the conference is restorative justice and Ma¯ori approaches to criminal justice,” said the university’s Provost, Professor Wendy Larner. “Assistant Commissioner Wallace Haumaha has led a lot of the work done by police with Ma¯ori communities on this . . . He was invited to speak at this event before the inquiry into the appointment process for his position was announced and that inquiry is still under way.”