GUEST BLOG: Jackie Foster – 2024 THE YEAR OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND CHANGE
Well, 2023 was the year of politics like our country has never seen and it surely is going to be interesting to see how long the so-called coalition of chaos will last.
Only days into the start of the government and we have seen nationwide protests from Maoridom and senior Maori leaders speaking of the people rising up.
Speaking of rising up, it is going to be interesting to read the final police investigation into the abysmal Allan Hall investigation. Let’s see if they are prepared to acknowledge what the police did all those years ago and who is going to be charged in relation to that?
Police knew something was seriously wrong with Alan Hall’s murder conviction and police knew evidence had been deliberately altered and hidden.
Two, now ex, police commissioners – Howard Broad and Mike Bush – were directly informed about concerns with Hall’s case, but did nothing, turning their backs washing their hands of the matter, while he sat in prison.
Don’t forget SJA is petitioning parliament seeking a Royal commission of inquiry into Allans conviction so please if you haven’t already click on the link below and sign our petition and support the fight SJA is taking directly to the people who can do something about this mess.
https://petitions.parliament.nz/583b044b-dadb-47bf-396b-08dbe9654cde
2023 saw SJA also table a petition seeking to have the end-of-life legislation changed, enabling people suffering from a degenerative disease to be able to choose the right to die with dignity.
Nicole Martin suffers from a debilitating disease known as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Nicole suffers continuously from this disease. Permanently bed ridden, even unable to sit up unaided anymore, with no quality of life whatsoever. Nicole wishes to use the end-of-life Act so she can die with dignity, a right every citizen should have but because a doctor cannot certify that her illness is terminal, she is not able to choose to die with the dignity she deserves. This is wrong and we must change the Act accordingly. So, everyone click on this link and support the petition to create change.
So yes 2024 is shaping up to be a busy one for SJA and an interesting one in politics.
I wish you all a safe, happy and prosperous New Year.
Jackie Foster, CEO, Social Justice Aotearoa
Jackie, the problem is and always will be, a thing called the old boys club.
Allan hall was publicly roasted simply to get a conviction because the police had no one else in their sights.
i applaud you for calling out both ex police commissioners, Broad and Bush, noting that both their sir names begin with B as does the word Bullshitters, and you are so right that those two officers who had a duty of care to Mr Hall simply sat on their hands and did nothing.
I have just re-read most of your blogs from 2023 and hope you keep up the pressure you are applying in 2024.
Our police system is, at the very least, dodgy with a capital D, seemingly looking after their own which brings to mind this case https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300701647/private-prosecution-accuses-police-officers-of-kidnapping-and-indecent-assault which I am sure Martyn’s readers would love your thoughts on?
lastly congratulations on standing up for Nicole Martin, it just shows that you are a real person prepared to take on any worthy fight.
Hi
Yes we do have a questionable policing system and the only way to hold them to account is to ask the questions.
Allan Hall’s mother passed away before being able to see her son free and it is my intention to get the justice she should have seen as well as make sure the people responsible answer to the courts.
Thanks for highlighting the police officers in front of the courts, I was aware of this and am following with interest, hopefully the media do the same.
Nicole’s fight is a little different but again for me it’s the principle of the issue and I know this issue affects many others in Aotearoa.
Thank you
Jackie you mentioning Howard Broad prompted me to do some research on him and i see the IPCA investigated an allegation against him for Drink Driving made by Author Ian Wishart. The interesting thing on the cover of the IPCA report are the words ” Independence Trustworthiness and Accountability” ? Whats your thoughts on that?
Keep up the good work, I’m looking forward to following your journey in 2024.
Broad held a prominent role in the Peter Ellis conviction, in fact, he proudly announced the arrest and charging of Ellis’s female work colleagues.
Broad was also head Toady in the police’s testosterone fueled macho “we wannabe SAS” stunt in raiding two towns of Tuhoe and arresting Tama Iti in 2007.
He was of thoroughly unsuitable character to lead.
Speaking of Ellis and of Hall’s prospects of seeing justice within his lifetime, it must be remembered that the judicial system’s greatest allegiance is to itself. The same applies to the Police. And these organisations are made up of individuals in a club.
NZ’s judicial system waited, until not only Ellis’s death before finding the ethical backbone to deliver justice, but also for the deaths and safe retirement of all main players involved in the creation and refusal to correct that miscarriage of justice. That included the trial judge, most of the justices who heard the appeals, the death of Sir Thomas Eichelbaum, the police commanders (such as broad) and investigators, self appointed counseling experts, prosecutors and dodgy New Zealand Law Commissioners had long moved on (or had been moved on) etc. All had all long vanished into often self-generated dust and ink clouds.
Justice delayed in order to protect reputations is really quite despicable, but unfortunately, it is the reality.
I’ve signed both petitions.
Hi Richard
Yes, the issue is very clear that the Senior police are definitely in the business of, shall we say, brushing it under the carpet.
I currently am dealing with a prosecution where vital evidence was withheld from both the defense and the Crown until after a conviction had been entered. Disgraceful to say the least.
For me this may be a long journey but a journey I’m going to keep walking for the betterment of our country as well as our judicial system.
Thank you for signing both petitions, appreciated remembering that it is Kiwis like you that help create change.