Terrorism law ‘not working well’, politicians admit
Some MPS also believe apologies are in order for the police raids on Tuhoe in 2007, Kate Chapman reports. More tests needed on dolphin’s DNA
Terrorism laws may be changed following a decision not to retry the ‘‘Urewera Four’’, but it remains to be seen whether an apology will be made to locals caught up in the 2007 terror raids.
Prime Minister John Key said the Terrorism Suppression Act was drafted in response to possible threats by foreign groups.
It was not working well and changing it was ‘‘something for another day but fundamentally probably makes sense’’.
NZ First leader Winston Peters said Parliament had ‘‘screwed-up’’ the terrorism law, and MPS should be among those to apologise over the ‘‘botched’’ raids and trial.
‘‘To be honest, all of us at Parliament screwed up on this thing when we passed that legislation; it was deficient.’’
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said police should apologise, and that talks between them and Tuhoe were already under way.
‘‘I think that what we do know is that when they went into Tuhoe looking for two people, that there appeared to be a bit of an overkill so lots of families within Tuhoe suffered hugely.
‘‘We still have children who are traumatised by that particular event. I don’t think it’s hard to say sorry.’’
Mr Key said it was up to police whether they made a formal apology to the people of Tuhoe.
Police involved in the raids believed they were dealing with serious terrorist activities and it was right for them to be cautious going into such situations, he said.
‘‘I think we’ve got to back our police and say that they’ve appropriately discharged their duties in a way where their safety has to be paramount.’’
Tame Iti, Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara, Urs Signer and Emily Bailey will not be retried on the charge of participation in an organised criminal group, on which a jury was unable to agree a verdict.
The four will be sentenced in a few weeks on the firearms charges they were found guilty of.
Police Commissioner Peter Marshall said he met with Tuhoe leaders, including Tamati Kruger, in Rotorua yesterday.
‘‘Details of the conversation remain private but it fulfilled its intention of getting the current commissioner and some of the senior leaders of Tuhoe talking about the future rather than the past.’’ The meeting had been a good first step and he hoped it was the first of many.
Mr Kruger said Tuhoe appreciated the opportunity to meet with Mr Marshall.
Mana Party leader Hone Harawira said police spent 18 months ‘‘building a case on nothing’’. ‘‘I’d like to see an Preliminary DNA tests on the dolphin found on the Taranaki coast near Opunake late last month indicate it is more likely a Hector’s than a critically endangered Maui’s dolphin.
More tests to confirm the species may take weeks.
For Taranaki commercial fisherman Keith Mawson the results throw into question whether another dolphin caught but never tested in Taranaki waters in January was a Maui’s, as the Fisheries Ministry claimed.
It was this incident, together with new figures estimating 55 adult Maui’s exist, that sparked calls for tougher measures on Taranaki’s coast to protect them.
‘‘Additional set-net ban measures proposed . . . were for the protection of Maui’s dolphins.
‘‘We’ve always said Maui’s dolphins aren’t found in Taranaki waters,’’ Mr Mawson said.
But Kartina Subedar, of Forest & Bird, said it did not matter whether the dolphin was a Hector’s or a Maui’s – both were endangered and both needed urgent protection.
‘‘There is definitely fewer than 55 Maui’s and at such a critical level any area that they could apology from the Crown to Tuhoe.’’
He also wanted something put in place to help the children traumatised by the raids.
‘‘There should be compensation; I’m not talking about money.
‘‘Now might be a good time to give back the Urewera.’’
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said compensation to those charged might also be appropriate.
‘‘Obviously it’s been a lot of time out of those people’s lives . . . given that they weren’t convicted on any of the serious charges, I think it definitely needs to be considered.’’ possibly occupy needs protected,’’ she said.
Gill nets have been identified as the No 1 manmade threat to both species of dolphins but the dolphin washed ashore last month died from natural causes.
Consultation on the proposed extensions to set-net bans and the current boundaries of the west coast North Island marine mammal sanctuary to protect Maui’s dolphins closed last month and the Government is expected to make an announcement on its plans within days.
Mr Mawson hoped set-net bans or other measures would not be extended, at least until more information was gathered and the fishing industry consulted.
The Seafood Industry Council has already offered to assist in protecting the Maui’s with voluntary set-net restrictions where dolphins have been sighted, active reporting programmes and ‘‘pingers’’ on nets to alert dolphins to the nets’ presence.
Forest & Bird sees the situation as so dire it wants an immediate set-net ban in all harbours and waters up to 100 metres deep where Maui’s are found.
to be