Earlier intervention

Congratulations on an excellent, balanced and dispassionate article “The twists and turns of Peter Ellis’ Christchurch Civic Creche sex abuse case” (Weekend Herald, October 8).

One item I would have added, is that the parents of those children who made the allegations received a $10,000 payment from ACC for each child.

Many years ago, I suggested to then Minister of Justice Phil Goff that I would pay $10,000 to any child who would come forward and agree to be questioned on their original statement, and compare it to what was presented in court. He told me that would be a completely unacceptable thing to do; equivalent to bribing a witness.

Goff could have sorted this sorry saga out then but chose not to (the same goes for National’s Justice Minister, Simon Power, who was also presented with the full, dispassionate facts).

Peter Davies, Mairangi Bay.