Campbell on Collins

Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, December 13th, 2012 - 63 comments
Categories: Judith Collins, law - Tags: , ,

I (r0b) am a bit too buried in the end-of-year rush to have researched this well enough to write a competent post on the topic. But it’s worth discussing, and (as usual) Gordon Campbell has a thorough and insightful account. Here’s some extracts, go check out Campbell at Scoop for the full article:


Gordon Campbell on Judith Collins’ handling of the Bain compensation report

Presumably, we are only days away (at most) from learning the contents of the report on the David Bain compensation case prepared by the distinguished retired Canadian judge, Ian Binnie. [Update: The report is expect to be released today.] Whatever the Binnie report says, nothing in it will change the Mickey Mouse handling of this episode by Justice Minister Judith Collins – who managed to simultaneously attack Binnie’s findings and reasoning abilities in public, while claiming privilege (and thus binding him to silence) against releasing the evidence to back up her assertions.  …

It gets worse. In the process, Collins also showed an unfair predisposition to consult with the prosecution. Collins sought “advice” on the Binnie report from the Solicitor General – whose office spent the best part of two decades maintaining Bain’s guilt. She is, of course, free to consult anyone she likes, but it is reasonable to expect she should do so in an even-handed fashion. Instead, she (at the very least) discussed the contents of the report and sought advice on it from the prosecution, while denying Bain’s defence team anything like a similar courtesy. She also hired Robert Fisher QC to provide a “peer review” of Binnie’s report – but, as Labour justice spokesperson Charles Chauvel has pointed out on RNZ this morning, Collins either doesn’t know or won’t tell us what Fisher’s terms of reference are, and what level of documentation he has been given to enable him to conduct, within a mere matter of days, a meaningful evaluation of Binnie’s report. …

This is banana republic stuff from Collins. Would any international justice in future be willing to step into the firing line for the kind of treatment that has been meted out to Binnie? Hardly. …

In the past few weeks, Collins has been mooted by Parliamentary insiders as the most likely replacement for John Key as leader of the National Party if Key (a) got hit by a bus or more likely (b) got sufficiently tired of his job as PM to call it quits. By her appalling handling of the Binnie report, Collins has surely torpedoed any claim that she may be fit to lead the country anytime in the near future.  …

What a travesty from our “Justice” Minister. In the same week, Education Minister Hekia Parata has been found by the High Court to have acted unlawfully. Both Ministers retain the confidence of the Prime Minister.

63 comments on “Campbell on Collins ”

  1. One Tāne Viper 1

    Just read Campbell’s article. It’s a shocking indictment of Collins behaviour, behaviour which will no doubt increase her support among wingnuts.

    Binnie’s thinly-veiled contempt for her actions is entirely justified.

  2. Collins’ approach to this is hardly surprising, given:

    1. Her approach to every other issue that’s confronted her as a Minister of the Crown.
    2. The lack of any formal or informal sanctions for her handling of those earlier issues.
    3. The impunity with which her colleague Paula Bennett has misused her position to breach others’ confidentiality while maintaining her own.

    Collins really has nothing to fear from generating this clusterfuck because similar clusterfucks have had no consequences for the ministerial perpetrators. The worst aspect of it is that, as everyone is pointing out, it’s a political decision – sooner or later Cabinet has to grow a pair and make that decision, and bunging a Canadian hundreds of grand hasn’t absolved them of making it. Instead of blaming the Canadian for doing the job they paid him to do, Collins and her smug, lazy colleagues could try actually sitting down at the Cabinet table and doing the job they’re paid to do – which in this case, is to announce that Bain can stick his compensation claim up his arse (or some lawyerly equivalent).

    • North 2.1

      Backwoodsman, Boss Hogg, Banana Republic, Bombastic Bully, Baroness Thatcher, Bush Dubya. Not a lawyer’s………….you know what.

      First year law students’d be directed towards alternative pursuits for this woeful lack of comprehension of basic principles of the Rule of Law, Natural Justice, and Democratic Governance. On the other hand, and this is the bigger concern, Endora Collins has the comprehension but in her delusional subjectivity just doesn’t care.

      Bloody Disgraceful !

      And the Unctuous One simpers and wobbles on into Xmas. Fortified by adoring cow-eyes from the unspeakably inept Heki Pirau Parata. What fun their pretty summer BBQs will be. Everybody stroking everybody. Admiring themselves. Planet Key Weeee !

      These are the boys and girls who interminably nut on about taking responsibility. About manning-up. About doing the job. Citing the detestable, paru underclass who must be pariahed.

      What sort of role models are these brazen hypocrites, these moral crooks ?

    • mike e 2.2

      psycho Justice binnie has got it severly wrong .
      David bains fresh blood skin hair anb wool fibre were found under Stephen Bains finger nails.
      Also the soap powder box in the laundry had david and stephens frezh blood with davids fresh finger.prints embedded in the blood.
      The socks David changed into had blood and brain splatter matching the same pattern as the blood and brain splatter on the curtains and carpet which means he was in the room hiding behind the curtains.
      The debacle of the second trial where one of Davids groupies!

      • Psycho Milt 2.2.1

        psycho Justice binnie has got it severly wrong

        I agree, hence the view that Cabinet should “announce that Bain can stick his compensation claim up his arse (or some lawyerly equivalent).” However, at the time I wrote that comment Collins was busy ridiculing Binnie’s report without letting anyone see what he’d actually written – that is the kind of bullying and misuse of power that we’ve come to expect from her.

    • onsos 2.3

      Collins is particularly susceptible to blunders around legal matters. It’s as if she takes her background as a tax attorney as a basis for authority on all aspects of law.

  3. RJLC 3

    Disgraceful affair.

    Collins should resign.

    It also further exposes the extreme machinations the MoJ and the Crown will go to never back down on their position, to never admit fault, similar to NZ Police attitude but even more reprehensible.

    Here’s a good example of Ministry manipulation of an Inquiry into the Peter Ellis case as exposed in NZ Law Journal :

    http://www.peterellis.org.nz/2007/2007_francis_new_evidence.pdf

  4. Anne 4

    It would seem a large portion of the NZ public prefer thugs to govern them. Collingate is just today’s example. There will be another one tomorrow.

    • Dr Terry 4.1

      Surely Collins torpedoed her chances long before this shocker. Collins would make Shipley and Richardson look like kindly old aunties.

  5. Treetop 5

    Retired Judge Binnie is left to complete the report as Collins did not replace him even though Power appointed Judge Binnie. Then when Collins reads the Bain report she shouts incompetent.

    Who is going to peer review Collins?

  6. tc 6

    Careful you’ll all be threatened with being sued for libel/defamation/global warming and whatever else is occupying her cerebral parking lot at the time.

    • Treetop 6.1

      Collins is now going to play ball as she has to be transparent. Not giving the terms of reference for the Fisher peer review does cause speculation and Collins did this herself. Binnie is either seen as being competent or incompetent by Collins and Collins has to state which one.

  7. Curran's Viper 7

    It is refreshing to see such unanimity, albeit from a sample of 4 so far.

    Has Hooton committed himself to print on this issue ?

    • Rhinoviper 7.1

      “Has Hooton committed himself to print on this issue ?”

      I’m sure if Collins sends him some money, he’ll offer his wise and objective opinion in her favour, or if someone else sends him some money for a different view, he’ll offer his wise and objective opinion in their support. He might even do both on the same day.

      In other words, who gives a phuque?

    • Matthew Hooton 7.2

      Last public comment on National leadership is at http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/wr-opening-salvo-dump-rental-properties-now-lf-133603
      Nothing has happened since then to change my view – ie, Key loses in 2014, Shearer becomes PM, Collins becomes Opposition Leader, Adams or Bridges become her deputy.

  8. infused 8

    I haven’t kept up with this or read anything on it but doesn’t he need to be found innocent to get compo?

  9. aerobubble 9

    Murder-suicide’s happen. Relatives do return and walk in on them, and will fight for their life, getting ‘evidence’ upon them. Seeing this evidence,t he innocent, may start fiddling with the washing machine especially given the Bain case. Fair trials take over a decade, and compensation will be denied.

    The problem is without excessive, consistent and integral evidential processes, the lack of evidence would always play into the hands of the murder and against the walk in innocent, in NZ. The Bain family was weird, lost of direction, the kids withdrawn, soulless lawyers (and media) could see the slam dunk here and had no reluctance to merciful thoughts of happenstance.

    Elsewhere in the world they have a legal fraternity that is capable of mercy, contrite to their own mistakes, and concerned to their standing, pride, in a nation of law. We currently have a government more interested in destroying process, classic revolutionary conservatism, that has elsewhere led to the collapse of the world economy, increasing un-abating environment stresses, and ignorance of resource limits. Why would it be any surprise, that clean green 100% NZ, also had efficient perfect justice system.

    Its no good enough to leave it to the market to respond, say to the CTV building, by never hiring the people involved again, since they just leave for Australia anyway. That means its cowboy territory in NZ, you can get away with rank incompetence with a good spin doctor under the pay roll.

    • Sosoo 9.1

      Anyone with the least familiarity with “family annihilation” crimes knows that the father did it, because this sort of crime is almost always perpetrated by a father.

      The typical profile of a family annihilator is a middle-aged man, a good provider who appears dedicated, devoted and loyal to his family. However, he is usually quite socially isolated, with few friends and with profound feelings of frustration and inadequacy. The tipping point is some catastrophic loss or impending tragedy that threatens to undermine his sense of self and amplifies his feelings of impotence and powerlessness. In individuals for whom their family is an integral part of their identity – part of themselves, rather than a separate being – murdering the family is akin to a single act of suicide. It is a way of regaining control; of obliterating the impending crisis.

      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8961851/What-drives-a-father-to-kill.html

      Sound like Robin Bain to you?

      This has always been a police screwup. Parricide is a rare crime whereas family annihilation is much more common.

      • VindowViper 9.1.1

        In individuals for whom their family is an integral part of their identity – part of themselves, rather than a separate being .

        Interestingly many of the individuals I’ve met over the years who’ve vociferously insisted that David had to be the killer and Robin had to be innocent … would fit the description quoted quite nicely.

        • aerobubble 9.1.1.1

          The tragedy is so many needy people like the attention of getting in the limelight, the more wrong the better. I find it quite shocking their lawyers, and the crap they’ve talked about the Bain issue. From Binnie giving detail extra responses call muddling, to Binnie not understanding NZ law, or he got facts wrong, principles were missed (which were?). All done before Collins released the document for others to refute. But worse, Bain is innocent, so to have another lawyer on TV saying he has to prove innocence to get compensation just is draw dropping. Really is this not the most depraved adolescent legal fraternity in NZ. Collins should be disbarred, Key should sack her immediately. The compensation process was about an independent third party deciding balance of probabilities, he did, and Bain should get compensation.

      • mike e 9.1.2

        SoSo wrong if you look at mass family murderers its most likely the eldest son has committed the murder also being the one left alive !In every case of these murders the eldest son has continually denied murdering their family against over whelming evidence!
        If you look around the world their have been a dozen or so murders of this type all the evidence pointing to the oldest son,as well as a high degree of dysfunctionality in the family!
        Not one piece of hard evidence pointed to Robin Bain.
        All the hard evidence pointed to David being the Murderer!
        Here is a list off the hard evidence
        Davids fresh blood skin hair and woollen jersey particles found under Stephens finger nails
        laundry soap powder box had David and Stephens fresh blood on it with his fresh finger prints embedded in the blood
        the socks David was wearing to the hospital which the detective made sure weren’t polluted had blood and brain splatter on them in the same pattern that was found on the carpet and curtains in the room that Robin was murdered making david the murderer as he claimed he was on the paper round! the only way he could have got that pattern on his socks was if he was in the room at the time of the Murder!

    • the pigman 10.1

      ^^ hasn’t read the full text of either report.

      Think twice before leaping to criticize Fisher, however – those instructed by the government to review/critique other expert reports seldom identify so many demonstrable errors. Remember if Fisher were seen to just be “nit-picking”, his criticism would be swiftly and firmly rebutted by Binnie.

      If you leap to judgment on this one, you are being no better behaved than Collins (who has at least read both reports), although admittedly she has a higher degree of responsibility in this episode 😉

      • Pascal's bookie 10.1.1

        Binnie’s email in response to Fisher is also well worth reading, notwithstanding Collins dismissal of it because he capitalised a word or two.

    • mike e 10.2

      Rjlc when you read binnies interview with bain it makes me sick why didn’t he ask how his blood skin hair and woollen jersey fibres get under stephens finger nails or how come the blood and brain particles end up on yor socks when you were supposed to be doing a paper run!
      $400,000 for a lame piece of work we want our money back!

  10. tracey 11

    Does anyone know what date fisher got the report to review?

    As a former pres of the law society and as a minister of justice she has insulted an experienced jurist. By all means have some questions but direct them to binnie and invite him to write an addendum addressing them.

    • RJLC 11.1

      Does anyone know what date fisher got the report to review?

      If you are wondering how long he spent on it, that would depend on how much time he spent surfing the net.

    • VindowViper 11.2

      Actually her attack on Binnie is quite remarkably insulting, uncouth and vulgar.

      Really the PM has no option but to express no confidence in her. Won’t happen of course.

    • September 24.

      Binnie in his response to Collins says “[i]t is of interest that … Mr Fisher was retained on 26 September … he met the Minister the same day … and without having performed the “first stage” analysis he reports that “as we discussed, a second and final report will be required for the purpose of reviewing the evidence afresh and arriving at its own conclusions on the merits”.  As he points out normally one would expect Fisher to make his analysis of Binnie’s report and have his analysis considered by the Minister BEFORE a decision to have an entirely new report performed on the merits.

  11. tracey 12

    I have answered my own question. Attached to the fisher report, note it is called an interim report, is the letter of appointmt and terms of reference from collins.

  12. Treetop 13

    Urewera raid
    Kim Dotcom
    Institutional failure by Dunedin CIB

    If anything Binnies report has shown me just how incompetent the NZ Police are time and time again and I also know this through personal experience with the police over 35 years regarding my cycles of complaint which I hope to attend to next year.

    It will never be established beyond reasonable doubt who killed the Bain family, my opinion is that Bain deserves compensation for the police’s investigations being inadequate, rushed, jumping to conclusions and being inconclusive.

    • VindowViper 13.1

      It will never be established beyond reasonable doubt who killed the Bain family

      Exactly. Frankly I don’t care if David Bain is guilty or innocent. All that I care about is the integrity of the process that reaches a decision … and in this case no fewer than six eminent non-New Zealand jurists have looked at that process and declared it to be fatally flawed.

      The idea that Judith Collins can now stick her oar in to get a result to suit her obvious personal agenda is simply debacle upon debacle and will in the long run cost even more.

      The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court really has to step in and put and end to this nonsense.

      • RJLC 13.1.1

        <i>The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court really has to step in and put and end to this nonsense.</i>

        As the Judiciary rushed to defend justice Mahon?
        Don’t hold your breath.

    • Glg 13.2

      Yes, it certainly looks like the Police are behind this, they really don’t like their errors being pointed out to them that’s for sure.

      • Curran's Viper 13.2.1

        Having attended the session of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Arthur Allan Thomas case in which the possibility of a planted bullet was raised,
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Allan_Thomas
        and a session of the the Erebus inquiry under Justice Mahon
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mahon_Inquiry
        it all seems eerily familiar.
        One thing disturbs me. When I submitted a postgraduate thesis I had three examiners.
        Collins has described a second opinion from Robert Fisher QC as a “peer review”.
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bain
        Where are the peers Judith ?
        When I once attended a NZ Law Society function I remember hearing malicious comments
        about Bain from some parties while one of Bains legal defence team sat unhappily to one side ..
        Aotearoa can be a very small place.

        • Treetop 13.2.1.1

          If you did not hear Sir Jeffery Palmer on RNZ nine to noon this morning have a listen. The Bain issue has become political and Palmer recommends a 1998 finding from the Law Commission to be the answer, an independent advisory panel. Palmer put it into a nut shell when he said there is no current process to remedy the Bain situation.

          Did you know that Palmer was critical of Mahon when it came to natural justice?

          Did you know that Gilpin (then a police sergeant re Erebus) would not take no for an answer in having the missing contents of Collin’s ring binder investigated?

          Chief justice Elias was right about the Moyle inquiry (the police not being investigated was disquieting) only the cop (L.C) involved with the initial incident was part of the inquiry. L.C disclosed the incident to 10 policing and one of the 10 policing later went on to work for the DPS when Muldoon was PM and this cop knew that I knew about the incident and he kept his mouth shut.

          Gilpin got involved with my case for two solid years in 1990 and he got L.C. to look for a 1979 CIB file which would incriminate L.C.

          The full police evidence into the 1976 December inquiry is still locked away, (intially for 25 years).

          When it comes to historical cases the police and the government drop the ball time and time again. I am so sick of hearing how the police mislead the government and then the government say that they cannot interfere in a police matter. A lot comes out about police incompetence re their investigation when correspondence is received from them. When whole files are missing within a 10 year period then you know the police really have something to hide.

          When it comes to the police involvement regarding the Thomas cartridge planting the public have not seen the almighty police cock up on this. Meurant has contradicted his ex employer and tried to be transparent.

          See 5 Who is going to peer review Collins?

          For Collins to appoint another legal mind is not the answer. Bain was acquitted and had what was known at the retrial been available at the first trial Bain would not have gone to Jail. The compo is about Bain being wrongly sent to jail, not whether or not he committed the crime.

    • aerobubble 13.3

      It looked to me like a government who dumpster dive for the legal opinion it wants, and has no respect for the rule of law. Balance of probabilities standard is not used to jail citizens, so its wrong for it to justify not compensation Bain. People make mistakes, courts make them, lawyers make them, we cannot have a government piggy backing on bad process with more bad process to get the indefensible. When the evidence isn’t there, the mob cannot be called in.

  13. xtasy 14

    May I repeat again, what I stated a fair few times before:

    New Zealand as it is, is being run like a “dictatorship” of sorts, where an elite runs most affairs – and even manages to apply “the law” – at its convenience, and to serve its preferred purposes and needs. A sophisticated “dictatorship” is not noticed as such, and that is what NZ is close to.

    So David Bain went through all the available legal processes before the highest courts, was in the end found not guilty (beyond reasonable doubt), and now we have a Minister of Justice daring to “re-interpret” all previous findings again, talking in a way, where she implies, the onus lies with Bain, to sufficiently prove his innocence, before any compensation may be justified.

    An independent report, commissioned by former Minister for Justice, Simon Power, and prepared by a highly qualified, well reputed senior judge from Canada, is torn to bits by a local QC, who was actually from the start trying all, to prove that Bain was not innocent.

    Crusher Collins dares, as a layperson, to re-interpret the law, to make reports suit the needs of the government. This one is not the one she and her government like, so they rubbish it, choose a previously partial legal expert to “review” it, and possibly now they will get yet another person to write yet another report, hopefully to suit the preferences of Collins and the government.

    That is banana-republic stuff!

    But sorry, dear all, I have myself been through so much crap, I have seen with own eyes and heard with own ears, how supposedly “independent” review authorities here make decisions that are anything but independent.

    The government always can access top legal experts through Crown Law, and they always take matters through all the courts, trying to beat the ones who challenge the Crown on matters that could cost it money or reputation.

    Nothing new in the state of NZ Aotearoa, where the sun shines, the beaches, mountains, lakes and forests look picturesque, but where there is a heck of a lot of rot in the system. Sadly far too few can see it or even know about this stuff.

    • the pigman 14.1

      xtasy:

      a) Fisher is a highly respected jurist and legal academic, and you are completely out of line asserting he is particularly partial;
      b) Collins is not a layperson, but a lawyer and ex-president of the Auckland District Law Society and ex-vice-president of the NZ Law Society (honestly speaking though, I have little idea how she was regarded professionally by her contemporaries); and
      c) read Binnie’s conclusions, Fisher’s summary of his critique, and Binnie’s e-mail response.

      That is the least you could do before launching into such polemic.

      Collins’ handling of it was shabby, but that doesn’t justify the wild inferences you draw.

      • xtasy 14.1.1

        I have to accept that Collins herself is not a “layperson”, as the has studied and practiced law, and as stated, was also president of the ADLS.
        So I accept that, for sure.

        She has never been a judge though, and her specialist areas have not been criminal law, she practiced in employment, property, commercial and tax law.

        “Legal experts” do naturally differ on many controversial cases, but despite of that, the Bain case has been scrutinised during 2 major trials, went through every detail, so Bain having been found innocent beyond reasonable doubt is what the courts finally determined.

        In other jurisdictions this would be enough to lay the matter to rest and consider compensation for wrongful imprisonment. But in NZ it appears to be handled differently, where it is up to the government to make such a determination whether compensation should be paid, and thus they apparently go by putting the onus on Bain, to prove yet again his innocence.

        Apart from that I can only talk about certain experiences I had with some matters before review authorities of various types, and the persons put there to hear cases have in some regards been selected in a way that was from my view not in line with ensuring proper independence. That to my impression though is quite common in little New Zealand, where there appears to be an environment of too many knowing each other and not wanting to step on each other’s toes.

        That is a breeding ground for injustice.

      • xtasy 14.1.2

        Perhaps I may add to the question of whether a lawyer is “competent”, “good” or whatever, simply for having passed a degree and possibly even having worked in practicing law, there can be many considerations about what level of competence a particular lawyer may have.

        I did during the time that Simon Power was minister have a talk with a lawyer about that minister’s competence, in view of the National led government’s changing the law to abolish the defence of provocation. He commented on Power’s “competence” and deeper understanding of law and the principle of “justice”.

        That lawyer had a damned dim view of Power! He was even referred to as an “idiot”!

        So no wonder Power changed his career (like Collins did) and became a politician. He is now running Westpac, so yet another career change there, NOT in his learned profession, as you may note!

        I would give a top, senior judge from Canada more respect than Power or Collins any time, even if he may have made some “mistakes” in his report, which I question to be so serious enough to put the whole report into disrepute.

        But thanks for your suggestion to read the report and review in detail. Maybe that is what I will spend my “leisure time” this weekend on?!

      • RJLC 14.1.3

        <i>a) Fisher is a highly respected jurist and legal academic, and you are completely out of line asserting he is particularly partial;</i>

        yeah yeah yeah, he also surfed internet porn while on a work computer when he was a high court judge.
        Lest we forget http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=940245
        I tend to regard him as a safe toady for ministers in a fix.

        • xtasy 14.1.3.1

          “Justice Fisher looked at adult movies on Department for Courts computers for about 90 minutes over two weeks 15 months ago. He has apologised and promised not to do it again.”

          Dame Sian Elias said it was merely a “lapse” in a distinguished career.

          Now I wonder, did Judith Collins know about these “lapses” ten years ago? I doubt it!

          But thanks for pointing this out RJLC, it is the stuff that is easily swept under the carpet.

          Now, how many “ordinary” workers would get disciplined harshly or even get fired over such “lapses”? I am afraid, this is yet another case of the law being applied differently between the “elitarian” professionals and the common office cleaner, or whatever they may be doing for a job.

          It just reinforces a lot of what I have learned over the years myself. There is one law for those at the top, and another kind of law applied for those at the bottom. Add a bit of brown colour to the equation, and it gets even more unjust. NO real surprises there!

    • Curran's Viper 14.2

      I think ‘oligarchy’ is the word you may be searching for.

    • Treetop 14.3

      This is banana – republic stuff!

      Yep and this was heard this morning about the Fijian police who are accused of assaulting persons who are arrested, make a complaint.

      When there is executive interference this is police state stuff.

      In my case the purpose of going to a minister of parliament was to have an independent person assigned to do an investigation for a number of reasons, not to have the last minister I approached say the following to me via her private secretary:

      “The Hon Judith Collins, Minister of Police, has asked me to acknowledge and thank you for your email of 18 November 2008 received by this office on 20 November 2008. Although your email was sent to the email address of the ministerial office of Hon Annette King, it has been referred to the office of Hon Judith Collins who is now the Minister of police.”

      I do not know who referred the email to the person it was not intended for; the National Government were sworn in on 19 November 2008.

      • Treetop 14.3.1

        Correction 14.3 not to have the last minister I approached…

        Key was emailed in June 2009 and Power replied in August 2009. “Your letter has been referred to me for reply as the matters you raise fall within my portfolio responsibilities as Minister of Justice.”

        Power suggested I go to the IPCA. I consider going to the IPCA as a last resort as I know what liars the police are and I have NO confidence in their process.

    • Treetop 14.4

      I would like to know what Power would do were he in Collins shoes?

      I approached Power in 2006 and the police lied to him and a request was made for a 2002 file; Robinson appointed C. Rickards to another complaint cycle in 2002.

      • Quasimodo 14.4.1

        If you think our politicians are bad, you should have a look at some they’ve got across the Tasman .. or the US.

      • xtasy 14.4.2

        As much as I dislike Powers, I would presume, he would probably have dealt whith this a bit more competently. Collins has a real problem, it is a “power trip” and “controlling” personality she has, and that will be her downfall. The bit of knowledge and intelligence she has is being compromised by those personality traits. I just dread what she is doing to “fix” what has been going on at ACC.

        If her performance in this matter is anything to go by, I would be very, very afraid, if I was an ACC claimant, particularly one with complex issues!

  14. North 15

    That Judith Collins was once a practising lawyer and was once a practising law society officeholder is irrelevant, except perhaps as to indicate a propensity to tug the forelock in those who facilely cite those historical facts as indicators of expertise and probity in Collins’ performance as Minister of Justice.

    Collins is playing the stock standard game of the Key administration. As a first measure, attack the practitioners be they nurses, teachers, legal aid lawyers, beneficiaries, whomsoever. Then, having blackened names on the public stage proceed to the desired political end.

    This furore is not about the competence or impartiality of Binnie or Fisher, in which respects and as to both of whom there is no rational question. Weirdly it is hardly even about Bain. This is about an artful, long experienced self-promoter of no particular intellectual or professional distinction doing her number to her personal political advantage.

    The prize is leadership of the National Party and (if she’s extra-artful) short term prime ministership in the style of Marshall, Moore and Shipley.

    • Jim Viperald - Once was colonised 15.1

      Oh, and this from you-know-who:

      “… I can provide you with another [lawyer] that will give you a counterview”

  15. vto 16

    All of this says two simple things;

    1. Do not trust the police.

    2. Do not trust the government.

    … as if they even needed saying again…..

  16. Collins has trampled over this man’s reputation publicly,his integrity has been attacked also,
    this is disgraceful, its’ obvioius that any reports the govt gets that dont agree with their
    agenda then the authors and the contents are rubbished in the media,again disgraceful.
    Is Key out of the country yet ? if he isn’t, he should tap ‘crusher’ on the shoulder and tell
    her to have more respect for Binnie and appologize to him publicly.

  17. alwyn 18

    I found Meteria Turei’s opinions on the issue of some interest.

    Among other things she said “Binnie did what he was asked and Ms Collins is throwing her toys because she doesn’t like it” and “Rather than keep on looking for the advice she wants, she needs to act on the advice she’s got”. She added “She wanted an independent review of the case and thats what she’s got”.

    I am sure that her views on these matters are always consistent and not biased by her political orientation so I would like to know whether anyone can point me to the views on another matter I am sure she must have commented on.
    Can anyone give me a reference to her saying the following about Fracking?

    “The Commissioner for the Environment did what she was asked and Gareth Hughes is throwing his toys because he doesn’t like it”
    “Rather than keep on looking for the advice he wants, he needs to act on the advice he’s got”
    “He wanted an independent review and that’s what he’s got”.
    Surely she would have backed the scientifically trained Commissioner for the Environment rather than someone who’s claim to an education is that he did his degree in Religious Studies.

  18. North 19

    Read Binnie’s email response to Collins and Fisher.

    Points powerfully made. Subtle expressions of annoyance to rival Michael Reed QC.

    The repeated snipey badmouthing of Binnie interfered with senses. The “game” was working – I was starting to wonder.

    Binnie cites the authority of Lord Bingham in the Privy Council appeal. You can’t go higher than that people. Masterful !

    I was left starting to think that Collins believes everyone else in the army is out of step

  19. jaymam 20

    Scary picture. Hmm, might be useful for the next election!
    http://i45.tinypic.com/2a8nhc3.jpg

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T18:01:01+00:00