Police censorship of crime research “an outrage”

The Green Party is calling on Police Minister Michael Woodhouse to ensure Police scrap controversial contracts that place onerous restrictions on academic researchers’ access to Police data.

The Green Party’s call comes following revelations that University of Canterbury sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert has been blacklisted from accessing police data and that other academic researchers have been required to sign contracts that give Police the ability to censor research findings.

“This is an absolute outrage – it is as though Police have never heard of the Official Information Act,” said David Clendon, the Green Party’s Police spokesperson.

“This smacks of interference, and the Minister must demand Police stop trying to stymie academic freedom, or face accusations of political interference himself.

“Police deputy chief executive Mark Evans’ excuse that the contracts are necessary in cases where academics didn’t understand or misrepresent information shows no understanding of how academic research works.

“If an academic comes up with research that is flawed, peer review means there will be other academics who will be very quick to point out the flaws.

“I have no doubt that the real motivation behind these onerous contracts is political – to enhance the public perception of the Police by manipulating research findings so they reflect positively on the Police.

“That is a total abuse of power, and results in Police not being subject to the rigorous scrutiny that a democratic society demands.

“Minister Woodhouse needs to get Police Commissioner Mike Bush into his office and tell him that these contracts must be scrapped and the Police must comply with the Official Information Act rather than cherry pick the researchers who can access Police data and suppress unfavourable research findings,” Mr Clendon said.

Action

Protect Nature

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing Aotearoa. Volu...

Action

Save Auckland's Climate Budget

Sign the petition to stop Mayor Wayne Brown's proposal for dangerous cuts to climate and environmental programmes that protect us from extreme weat...

Action

No New Mines 2023

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Trains for Climate

Add your name to our open letter urging the Minister for Finance Grant Robertson to save our passenger trains between Wellington, the Wairarapa and...

Action

Healthy Oceans 2022

Join our Healthy Oceans Crew to help us keep the health and protection of our oceans high on the Labour Government’s political agenda.

Action

It's time: A Ministry for Rainbow Communities

Join our call asking the Prime Minister to establish a Ministry for Rainbow Communities that can champion Rainbow issues.

Action

No new mines on conservation land

Sign the open letter asking Labour Ministers to stick to their promise of banning new mining projects on conservation land.

Action

Allow community ownership of our buses

Public transport is an essential service and helps to tackle the climate crisis by reducing our carbon emissions. But there are barriers to communi...

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Justice Announcements

Story

Three strikes has failed before and will fail again

Resurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice.

Hate speech law fails women, Rainbow and disabled people

The Green Party today welcomed the first reading in Parliament of legislation to protect religious groups from hate speech, but remain concerned th...

Hate speech change welcome, but still leaves communities at risk

The Green Party welcomes hate speech reform to protect religious groups, but is concerned that the exclusion of women, rainbow, and disability comm...

Young people deserve better

The National Party’s plan to put children into military boot camps is so flawed it is dangerous.

Minister Hipkins way off the mark on unlawful Police action

The Green Party is calling on Minister Hipkins to address the underlying causes of crime, rather than to allow for abusive, American-style policing...

Three strikes law gone but not forgotten for many

The repeal of the archaic three strikes law is welcome but it doesn’t go far enough, the Green Party says.

Story

Māori face significant harm from axing govt funding of background reports

Māori will be among the most impacted by the Government’s cruel, irrational, and senseless plan to stop funding pre-sentencing background reports.

Green Party negotiate further improvements to Terrorism Suppression Bill

The Green Party is pleased with further improvements to the Government’s proposed terrorism law, Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman said today.

Green Party ensures vital human rights and process safeguards will be inserted in new anti-terrorism law

The Green Party has negotiated important civil liberties changes in the proposed Terrorism Suppression Bill which will now establish human rights a...

Evidence of collusion with oil and gas industry a wake-up call

“Today’s report from the State Services Commission shows Government departments colluded with private security firms working for oil and gas compan...

New Waikeria facility a relief valve as work to reduce prison numbers begins

The Green Party welcomes the adoption of a human rights based approach to the upkeep of the Waikeria prison facility, focused on rehabilitation ins...

Greens welcome chief science advisor’s prisons report

The Green Party is welcoming a report released by the Prime Minister’s Chief Scientist, Sir Peter Gluckman, which acknowledges our justice system i...

Story

The Greens welcome whānau centred initiatives for Prisons

Today the Government announced a new whānau-centred Māori pathways programme in the Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison.

Greens welcome review of women’s prisons, calls for all prisons to be reviewed

The Green Party welcomes the announcement today from the Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis for an urgent review of women’s prisons.

Reports of prisoner abuse show need for prisons rethink and independent oversight

Reports of an asthmatic woman being bombed in her cell with pepper spray, being forced to lie face down on the ground to be fed, and having to show...

Green Party negotiate further improvements to Terrorism Suppression Bill

The Green Party is pleased with further improvements to the Government’s proposed terrorism law, Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman said today.

Green Party ensures vital human rights and process safeguards will be inserted in new anti-terrorism law

The Green Party has negotiated important civil liberties changes in the proposed Terrorism Suppression Bill which will now establish human rights a...

Evidence of collusion with oil and gas industry a wake-up call

“Today’s report from the State Services Commission shows Government departments colluded with private security firms working for oil and gas compan...