Social Justice Aotearoa

12/08/2026

The Alan Hall case will go down as one of the darkest stains on New Zealand’s justice system and today’s verdict only deepens that wound.

Two former police officers have walked away not guilty, despite the fact that one of them physically altered a written witness statement. Let that sink in. A sworn statement, changed by hand, in a homicide investigation that destroyed a man’s life. If that isn’t perverting the course of justice, then what on earth is?

This isn’t just a “mistake”. It’s not a “procedural error”. It is a catastrophic failure of integrity inside the police force, and the public deserves better than this endless cycle of excuses and institutional protectionism. Every time accountability is dodged, trust in the system erodes further.

Poor Alan Hall a man who spent decades fighting to prove what should have been obvious from day one. His family carried that burden with him. His mother will be turning in her grave seeing how lightly the people responsible for this injustice are being treated.

New Zealanders deserve a justice system that actually delivers justice. Today’s outcome feels like anything but that.

Families of the two men gasped with relief as the verdicts were read out.

11/08/2026

Jackie attended the Opportunity Party coffee catch‑up today with Holly Knill, who is standing in the North Shore. It was a constructive session with thoughtful discussion and a focus on local issues.The Opportunity Party

08/08/2026

Representatives from SJA attended last night’s event at Q Theatre, where Phil Goff, Chris Finlayson and Helen Clark took part in a cross‑party discussion on the future of New Zealand’s democracy. As an organisation, we know how important it is to understand our country’s direction from all angles. Jackie also had an interesting discussion with Helen Clark about a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the wrongful conviction of Alan Hall an issue SJA will continue to advocate for.Jill DickieSocial Justice Aotearoa

05/08/2026

The Government wants an inquiry into how a TV host was paid for FIVE YEARS while stood down, yet still refuses to investigate how Alan Hall lost NINETEEN YEARS of his life behind bars for a wrongful conviction.

A proper Government inquiry isn’t cheap.
It will run between $2 million and $4 million.

Let me be crystal clear:
You can launch a review to protect public money, but you won’t launch a Royal Commission to protect public justice?

This Government is bending over backwards to investigate a bureaucratic embarrassment, yet turns its back on one of the worst miscarriages of justice in modern New Zealand history. Alan Hall spent nearly two decades in a cell for a crime he did not commit, and they think that doesn’t deserve answers?

Where’s the urgency?
Where’s the accountability?
Where’s the humanity?

Social Justice Aotearoa stands with Alan Hall and every New Zealander who has been failed by a system that protects itself before it protects people.

If the Government can investigate five years of salary for a TV presenter, it can damn well investigate nineteen stolen years from an innocent man.

We’re not letting this go.Paul GoldsmithDavid SeymourWinston PetersWillie JacksonGinny Andersen MPChris Hipkins MPMark Mitchell MPTamatha PaulChris Baillie - ACT Nelson

Jackie Foster
Social Justice Aotearoa

"Paying somebody for five years for not working cannot be justified," said Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith.

02/08/2026

Karen Chhour and Louise Upston must both be held accountable for the removal of Dr Claire Achmad, a Children’s Commissioner who still had a valid contract through 2028 and who has been widely respected for her strong, principled advocacy for mokopuna. What has happened is not just a restructuring. It is a political decision that contradicts the very warnings National itself issued in writing.

In July 2022, our CEO Jackie Foster received a letter from Louise Upston that spelled out exactly why dismantling the independent Children’s Commissioner was dangerous. Upston wrote that removing the Commissioner would “risk the safety and welfare of children” and create “more bureaucracy and a less effective voice of advocacy for children.” She warned that making these changes before the Royal Commission’s findings was “a disservice to the victims who came forward.” She emphasised that Commissioners had been “incredibly effective” and must remain “a fearless voice, unimpeded by cumbersome bureaucratic structures.”

Those weren’t casual comments.
They were explicit warnings ,from National’s own spokesperson.

Yet today, Karen Chhour has done exactly what Upston condemned. She has overseen a restructuring that effectively removes Dr Claire Achmad from a role she was legally appointed to until 2028. Dr Achmad has been a strong, compassionate, evidence driven advocate for children. Her removal is not about performance. It is not about outcomes. It is not about what is best for mokopuna. It is political.

And Louise Upston, who once promised that National would “reinstate the Children’s Commissioner” and protect its independence, is now part of the coalition enabling the very harm she warned about. She is silent while the Minister she sits alongside dismantles the independence she claimed was essential.

The coalition cannot have it both ways.
They cannot warn that removing the Commissioner will harm children, then remove a Commissioner who still has a valid contract and who has been wonderful for mokopuna.
They cannot claim to value survivors’ voices, then ignore the Royal Commission’s context.
They cannot promise to protect independence, then oversee its erosion.

Dr Claire Achmad’s contract was valid until 2028.
Her leadership was respected.
Her advocacy was strong.
Her removal demands answers.

Karen Chhour and Louise Upston must explain why they have abandoned the principles they once put in writing, and why a Commissioner appointed to serve until 2028 has been pushed out through political restructuring that contradicts their own stated values.

Accountability is not optional when children’s rights are at stake.Karen Chhour MPLouise Upston MPWillie JacksonMatthew TukakiMana Mokopuna - Children's CommissionerGreen PartyThe Labour PartyACTNew Zealand FirstNew Zealand National PartyTe Pāti Māori

Claire Achmad’s role as the independent children’s advocate ended on Friday — despite her wanting to stay on.

26/07/2026

Aotearoa deserves answers.

As the country moves toward the November election, Social Justice Aotearoa is calling on a political party to step up and champion one of the most critical justice issues of our time, the wrongful conviction of Alan Hall.

New Zealand cannot move forward until we confront how an innocent man lost 19 years of his life because of actions taken by police officers, the wider New Zealand Police force, and the Crown. Even today, with two individuals before the courts, their verdicts, guilty or not guilty, will not give this country the answers it needs. That process does not explain how this happened, why it was allowed to continue, or how such catastrophic failures were able to pass through every safeguard in our justice system.

That is why SJA is renewing its call for a full Royal Commission of Inquiry, just as we petitioned Parliament for in 2025. This is not only for Alan Hall’s sake, but for the sake of every New Zealander who expects integrity, accountability, and truth from the institutions sworn to protect us.

A Royal Commission is the only mechanism capable of uncovering the full truth, identifying every failure, and ensuring that nothing like this can ever happen again.

This election must not ignore this issue.
New Zealand deserves transparency.
New Zealand deserves accountability.
New Zealand deserves justice.

It’s time for political leadership. It’s time for answers. It’s time for a Royal Commission of Inquiry.ACTGreen PartyNew Zealand National PartyThe Labour PartyTe Pāti MāoriNew Zealand First

21/07/2026

A Matter of Public Awareness

Social Justice Aotearoa recently took a petition to Parliament that brought national attention to an important gap in the End of Life Choice Act. We believe it’s vital that the public understands how this issue may affect a small but vulnerable group of long‑term New Zealand residents.

Some people who moved to Aotearoa decades ago, from countries such as the United Kingdom or Australia, never became New Zealand citizens. Because many arrived before modern immigration systems were introduced, some may not have a permanent resident visa formally recorded, even after living here most of their lives.

This can create an unexpected barrier, without the correct residency status, they may be ineligible for assisted dying under the End of Life Choice Act.

We encourage long‑term residents who are unsure of their immigration history to check their status well before any medical crisis occurs. No one should face an eligibility issue during an already emotional and difficult time.

If you know someone who might be affected, please encourage them to seek advice and review their immigration documentation. Raising awareness now could prevent unnecessary distress later.

Please share so this information reaches those who may need it.

19/07/2026

SJA continues to push for a law change in Aotearoa so every individual can exercise their right to choose. The recent reporting on end‑of‑life decisions highlights exactly why our country must confront the reality that people deserve dignity, autonomy, and compassionate options.

We believe no New Zealander should be forced into suffering because the law has failed to keep pace with humanity, medical reality, and personal freedom. Choice must belong to the individual not the system.

SJA is committed to working constructively across Parliament, including with the ACT Party, to support and stand beside people who deserve better. Our advocacy is grounded in respect, evidence, and the lived experiences of whānau who are asking for change.

We will not step back.
We will not soften our voice.
We will continue to push until Aotearoa has a law that reflects compassion, autonomy, and genuine choice.ACTJill DickieSandy BedfordTodd Stephenson MPDavid Seymour

The bill would allow assisted dying for terminally ill adults who meet strict criteria.

14/07/2026

Rehabilitation is essential. People absolutely need to face the consequences of their crimes, and prison is part of that accountability. But if someone is eventually going to return to society, we should be doing everything we can to help them address the issues that led them to offend in the first place.Rehabilitation programmes aren't just about helping offenders they're about protecting the community. The better the support, treatment and education people receive while in prison, the less likely they are to reoffend and create more victims in the future.Holding people accountable and helping them change are not opposites. Both are necessary if we want safer communities for everyone.

Convicted murderer Stephen Hudson unhappy he’s missing out on rehabilitation

Stephen Thomas Hudson has spent 24 years in prison for a 2002 murder.

14/07/2026

✦ Alan Hall Trial Concludes This Week

As the Alan Hall trial comes to an end this week, Social Justice Aotearoa acknowledges the immense toll this decades‑long fight has taken on the Hall whānau. What they have endured is something no family in Aotearoa should ever have to face.

Across the hearings, we heard evidence that shocked even senior police. One high‑ranking officer stated that in his entire career, he had never seen statements altered to the extent they were in this case. That alone speaks to the scale of failure and the depth of harm caused.

SJA has made a commitment to the Hall family: we will never stop fighting for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into this case. It is the least this country can do. Only a full, independent inquiry can expose every decision, every omission, and every act that contributed to this miscarriage of justice.

The public has a right to know the full truth. And believe us there will be more to be uncovered. Aotearoa must learn from this case to ensure nothing like it can ever happen again.

SJA stands with the Hall whānau. Justice demands transparency, accountability, and the courage to confront the failures that allowed this to happen.