ACT leader and soon-to-be Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour sent a detailed letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne during the investigation into the death of Pauline Hanna, according to new reports.
During the police investigation into the death of the Remuera eye surgeon’s wife, Seymour wrote a 1012-word letter to Auckland District Commander Karyn Malthus in April 2022.
NZ Herald political reporter Adam Pearse says Seymour accused police of acting 'inappropriately' and invading Polkinghorne's privacy.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Time to talk local politics now and I'm joined by
New Zealand here with political reporter Adam Pierce. Good morning, Adam,
good day.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
How are you.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm very good. Thank you. What is the message from
Mary to all political parties to come out of white
Tongey this week?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Yeah, well, it's certainly not just one message. You know,
there is a diverse set of views among ChIL Mary,
and I think we saw that reflected on White Tongy
Day and through the White Tangy Day celebrations. You know,
there will always be those calls for the bill, you know,
the Treaty Bill, the Three Dy Principle's Bill to be scraps.
(00:48):
You know, that was a central theme as we heard
from the protests, you know, those people that turn their
backs on David Seymour as he was he was making
what was quite a combative speech from the pie at
white Tongey. But there are also people who are actually
kind of sick of it. I don't know, there might
be some sympathy for your listeners on that, you know,
(01:10):
I think there are a lot of people politicians included
actually who are kind of sick of talking about the bill,
especially because the circumstances around it haven't changed. We have
National New Zealand first both saying that it's not going anywhere.
Obviously David Seymour is trying to suggest that someone may
change their minds on that. I think that's pretty unlikely.
(01:31):
So it seems as though the bill is not going anywhere.
And actually there are some MARY leaders who would prefer
to hear what plan the government has to actually advance
the outcomes that they go on about so much, you know, education, health,
economic prosperity, all those kind of things. So I think
there's definitely a call to move past just simply talking
(01:53):
about the Treaty Principles Bill and all the legislation that
MARY may oppose and really look forward to how the
government will enable the Maori economy to prosper you know, I.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Think we all feel that the same about that. The
public submissions, of course on the Treaty Principles Bill continue
throughout this coming week. Hey, look, there's a rather interesting
story in the Herald today Adam regarding the ACT leader
David Seymour writing a letter to the police supporting Philip
(02:25):
Pokinghorn during the investigation into his wife's death. Wants this
about is there anything in this?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
It was quite interesting. I think it's an interesting insight
into how politicians can get involved in these really high
profile cases. And obviously so this has come from the
HEROLDS calend who's been on top of the story ever
since Pauline passed. It was important, obviously to note that
(02:52):
Philip Polkinghorn was found not guilty after I think it
was a nine week trial last year which really captured
the nation. But this story shows us that there was
a letter that David Seymour wrote April twenty twenty two,
which was about four months before Polkinhorn was charged by police. Now,
in that letter, Seymour claimed police had acted inappropriately invaded
(03:18):
Polkinghorn's privacy and it even alleged money laundering. And he
did all this in his capacity as the EPSOM electrical MP.
So it was Polkinghorn's MP. And it's not not unusual
for electricity MPs to advocate on their constituents behalf seemore ACU.
He does it quite a lot, but it is what
(03:38):
is interesting is that Seymour did it on this occasion.
Given given the circumstances, you know, there are clear lines
that MP's have to adhere to, especially when it comes
to police. You know, they can't be seen to be
getting any undue influence or preference, even if it's on
behalf of someone else or for themselves. Now, Seymour, to
be fair to him, he did acknowledge that in this letter,
(04:00):
saying that he was simply passing on concerns from his
constituent passing them on to police, and police said in
the statement they acknowledged the letter and said that Seymour
wasn't involved in any investigation. But like I said, it
is an interesting insight into just how politicians, on given
that they work on behalf of their constituents, can be
(04:21):
involved in something like this. And yeah, it certainly an
interesting little in addition to what was, like I say,
a story that really gripped a nation.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
It certainly did. I like the bit where he said
that mister Pokinghorn feels he has been treated like a suspect,
and he guess he has been treated it turns out
like a suspect. Yeah. Hey, look, let's move on to
this story about the Cook Islands and this China deal,
which our Foreign Minister, Winston Peters said, Northern New Zealand,
(04:52):
nor the Cook Island people really knew what was in
the agreement. This all sort of came out on Friday.
Have we learned anything more about what is going on here, Adam, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Well, I think we're still a bit in the dark really.
It's from the reporting it's expected that this deal between
the Cork Islands and China will be signed in the
coming days or weeks now. For those who need a reminded,
the Cock Islands self governing, but they're in free association
with New Zealand, so we provide support through defense, foreign affairs,
(05:24):
disaster releive, that kind of thing. They have New Zealand
passports and that's actually been one of the issues as well,
and that the Cork Islands have been exploring the possibility
of having their own passports and that's something that Foreign
Mister Winston Peters has also responded pretty clearly to, saying
that you know, the Cork Island's welcome to do that,
(05:45):
but they would lose their New Zealand passport and the process.
And it sounds like from the media reporting that the
Cooks are back down on that one, but Yeah, I
think more pertinent is this China deal, which comes at
a time where there's a lot of focus on the
Pacific region, particularly around security. You know, we're seeing a
lot more interest from China and in the Pacific. That's
(06:08):
also woken up the United States, who has probably been
a bit off the ball as far as looking after
the Pacific or keeping an eye on the Pacific, and
allowed China to gain in that. We think of the
security deal that they did with the Solomon Islands in
twenty twenty three, which caused a bit of a stir
seeing that China kind of moving into that security space
in the Pacific. But yeah, I mean we've got Prime
(06:30):
Minister Mark Brown at the cook saying that this deal
really isn't any different to the one that New Zealand
signed with China. I think we yet to see the
detail on it. We don't have a lot of detail
at this stage. It certainly piaud the interest of finn
Minister Winston Peters, who I think, by the sounds of it,
feels a bit aggrieved that New Zealand really wasn't in
the process of consultation here on this one. Mark Brown
(06:54):
kind of defending that saying, well, we don't really need
to be consulting every step of the way. It sounds
like media reporting has perhaps advanced that process, blowing the
lid off it. I think from one News is certainly
domestically here saying that that China deal was imminent, So
it will certainly be something that New Zealand will be
keeping a keen eye. As I say, New Zealand is
(07:16):
a key partner or a key player in the Pacific,
particularly around the smaller, smaller nations that we have associations with.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Adam, thank you so much for your time this morning,
really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks That b from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Time to talk local politics now and I'm joined by
New Zealand here with political reporter Adam Pierce. Good morning, Adam,
good day.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
How are you.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm very good. Thank you. What is the message from
Mary to all political parties to come out of white
Tongey this week?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Yeah, well, it's certainly not just one message. You know,
there is a diverse set of views among ChIL Mary,
and I think we saw that reflected on White Tongy
Day and through the White Tangy Day celebrations. You know,
there will always be those calls for the bill, you know,
the Treaty Bill, the Three Dy Principle's Bill to be scraps.
(00:48):
You know, that was a central theme as we heard
from the protests, you know, those people that turn their
backs on David Seymour as he was he was making
what was quite a combative speech from the pie at
white Tongey. But there are also people who are actually
kind of sick of it. I don't know, there might
be some sympathy for your listeners on that, you know,
(01:10):
I think there are a lot of people politicians included
actually who are kind of sick of talking about the bill,
especially because the circumstances around it haven't changed. We have
National New Zealand first both saying that it's not going anywhere.
Obviously David Seymour is trying to suggest that someone may
change their minds on that. I think that's pretty unlikely.
(01:31):
So it seems as though the bill is not going anywhere.
And actually there are some MARY leaders who would prefer
to hear what plan the government has to actually advance
the outcomes that they go on about so much, you know, education, health,
economic prosperity, all those kind of things. So I think
there's definitely a call to move past just simply talking
(01:53):
about the Treaty Principles Bill and all the legislation that
MARY may oppose and really look forward to how the
government will enable the Maori economy to prosper you know, I.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Think we all feel that the same about that. The
public submissions, of course on the Treaty Principles Bill continue
throughout this coming week. Hey, look, there's a rather interesting
story in the Herald today Adam regarding the ACT leader
David Seymour writing a letter to the police supporting Philip
(02:25):
Pokinghorn during the investigation into his wife's death. Wants this
about is there anything in this?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
It was quite interesting. I think it's an interesting insight
into how politicians can get involved in these really high
profile cases. And obviously so this has come from the
HEROLDS calend who's been on top of the story ever
since Pauline passed. It was important, obviously to note that
(02:52):
Philip Polkinghorn was found not guilty after I think it
was a nine week trial last year which really captured
the nation. But this story shows us that there was
a letter that David Seymour wrote April twenty twenty two,
which was about four months before Polkinhorn was charged by police. Now,
in that letter, Seymour claimed police had acted inappropriately invaded
(03:18):
Polkinghorn's privacy and it even alleged money laundering. And he
did all this in his capacity as the EPSOM electrical MP.
So it was Polkinghorn's MP. And it's not not unusual
for electricity MPs to advocate on their constituents behalf seemore ACU.
He does it quite a lot, but it is what
(03:38):
is interesting is that Seymour did it on this occasion.
Given given the circumstances, you know, there are clear lines
that MP's have to adhere to, especially when it comes
to police. You know, they can't be seen to be
getting any undue influence or preference, even if it's on
behalf of someone else or for themselves. Now, Seymour, to
be fair to him, he did acknowledge that in this letter,
(04:00):
saying that he was simply passing on concerns from his
constituent passing them on to police, and police said in
the statement they acknowledged the letter and said that Seymour
wasn't involved in any investigation. But like I said, it
is an interesting insight into just how politicians, on given
that they work on behalf of their constituents, can be
(04:21):
involved in something like this. And yeah, it certainly an
interesting little in addition to what was, like I say,
a story that really gripped a nation.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
It certainly did. I like the bit where he said
that mister Pokinghorn feels he has been treated like a suspect,
and he guess he has been treated it turns out
like a suspect. Yeah. Hey, look, let's move on to
this story about the Cook Islands and this China deal,
which our Foreign Minister, Winston Peters said, Northern New Zealand,
(04:52):
nor the Cook Island people really knew what was in
the agreement. This all sort of came out on Friday.
Have we learned anything more about what is going on here, Adam, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Well, I think we're still a bit in the dark really.
It's from the reporting it's expected that this deal between
the Cork Islands and China will be signed in the
coming days or weeks now. For those who need a reminded,
the Cock Islands self governing, but they're in free association
with New Zealand, so we provide support through defense, foreign affairs,
(05:24):
disaster releive, that kind of thing. They have New Zealand
passports and that's actually been one of the issues as well,
and that the Cork Islands have been exploring the possibility
of having their own passports and that's something that Foreign
Mister Winston Peters has also responded pretty clearly to, saying
that you know, the Cork Island's welcome to do that,
(05:45):
but they would lose their New Zealand passport and the process.
And it sounds like from the media reporting that the
Cooks are back down on that one, but Yeah, I
think more pertinent is this China deal, which comes at
a time where there's a lot of focus on the
Pacific region, particularly around security. You know, we're seeing a
lot more interest from China and in the Pacific. That's
(06:08):
also woken up the United States, who has probably been
a bit off the ball as far as looking after
the Pacific or keeping an eye on the Pacific, and
allowed China to gain in that. We think of the
security deal that they did with the Solomon Islands in
twenty twenty three, which caused a bit of a stir
seeing that China kind of moving into that security space
in the Pacific. But yeah, I mean we've got Prime
(06:30):
Minister Mark Brown at the cook saying that this deal
really isn't any different to the one that New Zealand
signed with China. I think we yet to see the
detail on it. We don't have a lot of detail
at this stage. It certainly piaud the interest of finn
Minister Winston Peters, who I think, by the sounds of it,
feels a bit aggrieved that New Zealand really wasn't in
the process of consultation here on this one. Mark Brown
(06:54):
kind of defending that saying, well, we don't really need
to be consulting every step of the way. It sounds
like media reporting has perhaps advanced that process, blowing the
lid off it. I think from one News is certainly
domestically here saying that that China deal was imminent, So
it will certainly be something that New Zealand will be
keeping a keen eye. As I say, New Zealand is
(07:16):
a key partner or a key player in the Pacific,
particularly around the smaller, smaller nations that we have associations with.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Adam, thank you so much for your time this morning,
really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks That b from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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