26/06/2026
Our League has spoken out against the New Zealand Police at various times but today due to what appeared to be baying of certain female commentators on last night’s TVNZ News it is appropriate to speak out in support of the rule of law in NZ and the situation that affects the Police Commissioner, Richard Chambers.
Under the rule of law in most modern legal systems particularly common law jurisdictions like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ and many others, means a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Richard Chambers has not been charged with any criminal offending but allegedly two women are in the throes of making historic complaints against him. If correct the complaints will be heard by the Independent Police Conduct Authority who will determine whether there is a case to answer.
Key Points:
When it comes to our justice system and criminal trials in courts it believes in the presumption of innocence as a foundational principle. It means the burden of proof lies on the prosecution (or the state) to establish guilt. The accused does not have to prove their innocence.
• It protects individual liberty, prevents arbitrary punishment, and upholds due process and fair trial rights.
• It applies most strongly in criminal proceedings. Civil cases (e.g., lawsuits for damages) usually use a lower standard like “preponderance of the evidence” (more likely than not).
• Some civil law countries (e.g., parts of continental Europe) structure trials differently but still generally recognize the presumption.
• In practice, media coverage, public opinion, or pre-trial detention can sometimes undermine the perception of innocence, as mentioned earlier but the legal presumption remains. This principle is a cornerstone of the rule of law because it limits government power and ensures justice isn’t based on accusation alone.
On the other hand The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) (Māori: Mana Whanonga Pirihimana Motuhake) is New Zealand’s independent civilian oversight body for the New Zealand Police.
Key Facts
• Established: 1989 (originally as the Police Complaints Authority; renamed and expanded in 2007/2008). It is a statutory Crown Entity under the Independent Police Conduct Authority Act 1988, administered by the Ministry of Justice.
• Independence: It is independent of the Police (not part of the Police organisation) and operates as the only official Police oversight body in New Zealand.
Main Roles and Functions
The IPCA’s core responsibilities include:
• Handling complaints about Police employees (sworn officers and some non-sworn staff) for issues like:
• Misconduct.
• Neglect of duty.
• Police practices, policies, or procedures.
• Investigating serious incidents: It is notified of (and may independently investigate) any incident where a Police member, acting in the course of duty, causes or appears to have caused death or serious bodily harm.
• Oversight options: For complaints, it can:
• Conduct its own independent investigation.
• Oversee or review a Police investigation.
• Refer the matter to Police.
• Coordinate resolution or take no further action in some cases.
• Monitoring detention: It monitors places of Police detention to ensure human rights standards are met.
The IPCA does not conduct criminal prosecutions itself. If evidence suggests criminal offending, it refers the matter to Police for investigation (sometimes in parallel) and can recommend charges, but Police decide on prosecution.
• Investigations are inquisitorial and administrative, not adversarial criminal trials. The IPCA has powers similar to a Commission of Inquiry (e.g., summoning witnesses, requiring documents/evidence from Police). Investigations are generally private.
Meantime the process goes ahead and it does not assist that certain lobby groups gang up like on TVNZ on last nights news reminding us of: The Salem Witch Trials (1692–1693) in colonial Massachusetts. These are the most well-known historical witch trials recognized as a major miscarriage of justice. They took place in Salem Village (now Danvers) and surrounding areas in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Over 200 people were accused of witchcraft amid mass hysteria, leading to:
• 19 people hanged (14 women and 5 men).
• 1 man (Giles Corey) pressed to death with heavy stones.
• Several others dying in prison.
• Many more imprisoned or ruined.
The trials relied heavily on flawed “spectral evidence” (visions or apparitions claimed by accusers, mostly young girls), coerced confessions, and social/religious tensions. They were later deemed unlawful; convictions were annulled in 1711, with some compensation paid, and formal apologies and exonerations came centuries later (including in the 20th and 21st centuries).
Why “wrongly conducted”?
• They exemplify mass hysteria, religious extremism, personal grudges, and poor legal standards of the time.
• No credible evidence of actual witchcraft existed; the accused were innocent.
• The episode is a classic cautionary tale about injustice, false accusations, and the dangers of abandoning due process.
New Zealand Police Mark Mitchell MP TVNZ 1 Christopher Luxon Winston Peters David Seymour
