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Nicky Hager, whose book Hit & Run sparked an inquiry into New Zealand Defence Force actions in Afghanistan, will make two presentations at the second public phase of an inquiry into what happened. The Operation Burnham Inquiry is investigating allegations that six civilians were killed in Afghanistan during a New Zealand-led raid in 2010, and
The Police Commissioner does not see the routine arming of police as an inevitability after the Christchurch terrorist attack. “Quite firmly, I do not. I hope we never go there. What I, as commissioner, have to consider every day is the safety of the public, the safety of New Zealand police officers,” Mike Bush said. The
Warning: This story discusses issues related to rape and sexual violence. New Zealand has stubbornly high rates of sexual violence, despite feminist movements like #MeToo. Laura Walters looks at the the societal barriers to ending rape. The advent of online dating and aggressive porn increasingly appear to be a contributing factor to stubbornly high rates
The High Court has refused to allow lawyers representing Afghanistan villagers to seek further information from the government inquiry into Operation Burnham. The inquiry is investigating allegations that New Zealand soldiers killed six Afghanistan civilians during a military operation in 2010 and the military then covered up what happened. Those allegations were the subject of
Afghanistan villagers, who claim to have lost relatives in a military operation involving New Zealand soldiers, need to be front and centre of an inquiry into the incident, a lawyer says. Operation Burnham is investigating allegations that New Zealand soldiers killed six Afghan civilians during a military operation in 2010 and the military then covered up
Lawyers for the Afghan villagers caught up in Operation Burnham have failed in the first High Court challenge of the secretive inquiry. An attempt to reveal details of who was being nterviewed behind closed doors was denied by Justice Rebecca Ellis on Tuesday. In the Wellington High Court on Monday, lawyers for the villagers argued detail was essential
The $7 million Operation Burnham inquiry is facing another hurdle as lawyers for the Afghan villagers ask for details of witnesses to be disclosed. The controversial inquiry, which is inspecting claims made in the book Hit & Run that SAS soldiers killed six civilians in the 2010 operation, has been heard mostly behind closed doors. Lawyers for the
On its current timetable, the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the mosque attacks (to be headed by Justice William Young) will begin its work next month, and is due to report back by December 10 at the latest – which would be apt, given that date is International Human Rights Day. Inevitably, there will be
The Australian man accused of carrying out the Christchurch terror attack will appear in court for the second time on Friday, this time facing 50 charges of murder and 39 of attempted murder. But legal experts disagree on whether the Crown should try and convict the 28-year-old of terrorism. AUT law professor Kris Gledhill told
A resounding vote of no confidence met those arriving at the public hearing into the SAS’s role in deaths of six Afghan civilians with a large banner claiming the inquiry is a “farce”. Former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Sir Terence Arnold, a retired Supreme Court judge, are chairing an inquiry into claims made in the Hit &
