Looking back on the last three years, it certainly has been a journey of learning, understanding and devastation. Learning that Aotearoa cannot trust our policing system, understanding that there are irregularities in our policing system and being utterly devastated that even when true documented evidence is put in front of the so-called system, it is either ignored or the people reading it are blind.
Let’s start with that word irregularities. It was only June of this year we all saw the horrific story of Alan Hall. A story that reeks of police irregularities and corruption. Teina Pora another corrupt police investigation not to mention Arthur Allan Thomas where the police admitted planting evidence to get a conviction and yet the officer that planted it never got convicted. By the time Alan Hall, rightly receives compensation, the above three examples would have cost Aotearoa more than ten million dollars, destroying countless lives and families all the while the police simply shrug their shoulders with a couldn’t give a toss attitude.
My last blog discussed the shocking way I have been treated by the Independent Police Conduct Authority, only seemingly getting a voice once a Queens Counsel lawyer got involved. The IPCA thought I was going away and if they ignored me enough the whole matter would just disappear. Ignorant to the point of giving me written evidence stating that that a letter addressed to Judge Colin Doherty, Chairman of the IPCA, was actually read by someone else, a junior government employee that works there, and that junior employee decided that the Judge should not receive it, but what that junior employee failed to understand is, what they did is and due to this I have engaged legal counsel to address this which will play out publicly over time and embarrass the government in doing so.
One must ask, “why is it that it takes normal everyday kiwis to highlight such horrific government departments inefficiencies before change is created”? Daily we see Ministers of the government trying to explain their departments way out of terrible situations that should never have occurred. Repeatedly we see those Ministers trying to dig their departments out of holes created by inept policy which they can fix, but repeatedly those holes seemingly just get bigger.
The above depiction has ignited a fire within my soul that will not simmer until I see some change in Aotearoa, enough so for me to create a Charitable Trust that will help kiwis in similar situations and a trust that will highlight the serious issues that face kiwis every day of their lives.
Social Justice Aotearoa will advocate for everyday kiwis and will walk their journey alongside them. We will not stand down until everyone gets a fair deal and we will keep blogging for you all to read about the journeys we are travelling.
Jackie is a hardworking mother and grandmother; she is also the Managing Director of her own business. She runs Social Justice Aotearoa.