Labour to seek police inquiry in Collins case

‘‘The New Zealand public want this cleared up. We cannot clear this up unless we can shine sunlight on it and that’s got to cover all of the relevant offices and issues.’’

been smeared was not broad enough.

‘‘I don’t think that’s good enough at all,’’ Cunliffe said in Christchurch yesterday.

‘‘The New Zealand public want this cleared up. We cannot clear this up unless we can shine sunlight on it and that’s got to cover all of the relevant offices and issues.’’

He wanted a ‘‘broad, rapid and impartial’’ inquiry.

‘‘New Zealanders deserve to know the truth before they cast their votes.’’

Labour would try to convince police to investigate, he said.

‘‘Labour will be writing to the police. We will be stating that we totally respect this is a judgement that the police must make, and we recognise their operational independence but we do believe that there are serious grounds for inquiry and we hope that they will seriously consider those,’’ Cunliffe said.

Asked if that meant Labour would be laying a complaint to police, Cunliffe said ‘‘You could call it that.

‘‘We’re writing to the Police Commissioner to set our views out about potential breaches of the law that may have occurred and asked him to consider whether they may want an investigation.’’

Labour wants to be consulted on the terms of reference for an inquiry into the alleged smear campaign against the SFO.

‘‘There is a well-embedded constitutional convention that requires the Prime Minister to consult with the leader of the opposition this close to an election on a matter this serious. I would expect to be consulted on the terms of reference.’’

Labour was writing to Key with proposed terms of reference, which would be sent to other political parties and made public.

‘‘The key issue at the moment is what is the scope of the inquiry. It needs to be more than just the Minister of Justice’s office, because we know that the threads of this potential abuse of ministerial office go beyond one office.’’