2007 New Zealand Anti-terror Raids - Aftermath

Aftermath

Auckland lawyer Peter Williams, engaged by representatives of Tuhoe, examined whether charges could be brought against police for the raids and whether there was a case for charges of wrongful imprisonment. Williams wrote to Police Commissioner Howard Broad, seeking compensation and a restoration of mana, but on 14 December announced he had received no reply and would represent thirty members of Tuhoe in a class action against the police. Broad had earlier however publicly apologised to the people of Ruatoki for the raids and acknowledged that the actions of his force might take decades to heal. According to TV3 Ruatoki residents wanted utu (reciprocity) in the form of Broad's resignation. The call for his resignation was echoed by the Māori Party and Global Peace and Justice Auckland. A hikoi protesting the raids and the Suppression of Terrorism Act left the Bay of Plenty on 12 November. The hikoi collected signatures for a petition that it presented to parliament when it arrived in Wellington two days later. On 13 November a group of concerned individuals placed an advertisement in the Dominion Post urging the government to withdraw the Suppression of Terrorism Bill. Signatories to the advertisement included Green Party leader Jeanette Fitzsimons and National Distribution Union leader Laila Harre.

In 2009, 8 August 2011 was set as the start date for the trial in Auckland. This date was later bought forward to May 2011 with an expected running time of 12 weeks.

In March 2011, the Court of Appeal ruled for the prosecution in saying that the defendants in the case could be tried by a judge alone. The reasons for this decision are suppressed from publication by the courts. Originally, on 9 December 2010, the decision not to hold a jury trial was itself suppressed by Justice Helen Winkelmann, but this was lifted later that month.

A documentary critical of the raids, Operation 8: Deep in the Forest, was directed by Errol Wright and Abi King-Jones and screened around New Zealand as part of the World Cinema Showcase film festival.

In July 2011, one of the defendants - Tuhoe Lambert - died. Lambert's lawyer Kahu Barron-Afeaki said he would keep fighting on behalf of Lambert to ensure his reputation was cleared.

In September 2011 charges against 11 of the initial 17 were dropped. As a result the government passed the Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Act 2011.