Possibility of third inquiry being held on Haumaha
A third inquiry concerning highranking cop Wally Haumaha has not been ruled out by the State Services Commissioner.
Haumaha was appointed police deputy commissioner in May, and is currently subject of a Government inquiry into his appointment, as well as an Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation into bullying claims from 2016.
A disagreement about how the complaints were handled has emerged between the Ministry of Justice, Corrections and Police.
State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes said he would provide assurances the allegations were ‘‘handled in a timely and appropriate manner’’ if required.
Such assurances – not necessarily an inquiry – would come at the end of the inquiry being run by Mary Scholtens, QC, into Haumaha’s promotion.
Two formal bullying complaints were laid against Haumaha in September, by three women who were part of a joint project to improve outcomes for Ma¯ ori in the justice system.
The project involved Haumaha, as head of the Ma¯ ori, Pacific, Ethnic Services’ division at police national headquarters, and Ministry of Justice and Corrections employees.
Ministry of Justice deputy chief executive Colin Lynch has said issues raised by the employees were dealt with ‘‘at the highest level’’ and police were expected to follow up.
It was decided the staffers would continue work on the project from the ministry’s head office.
Corrections has previously said it was unaware of any bullying allegations.
Police Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement has said an allegation was made through a third party, and the two departments in question were then contacted.
No formal information or complaints were provided and it was not escalated, he said.
National police spokesman Chris Bishop, who has repeatedly raised the issue with the State Services Commission, said it looked likely the issue would be addressed.
‘‘It’s just a matter of timing, more than anything. It’s a very sub-optimal situation where you’ve got three agencies utterly at odds about how allegations of this nature were dealt with.’’ Seventeen people received permanent residency through a deregistered company at the heart of an alleged visa and residency scam.
A Stuff investigation included accusations from Indian migrant Karamjeet Singh that he got a visa from a ‘‘paper company’’ in Wellington, owned by his immigration adviser, but never did any work for it.
Singh said while BC International Ltd, which traded as Bite Consulting, paid him a wage, he was expected to then return the money. He instead worked under-the-table in Auckland.
Michael Carley, manager of Operations Support at Immigration New Zealand, said 17 ‘‘predominantly Indian nationals’’ were given permanent