Minister receives Whitehead report

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has now received the report on the Ministerial Inquiry - Events surrounding the request for waiver of the diplomatic immunity of a Malaysian Defence Attaché.

“Mr John Whitehead has now completed the Inquiry into the request for a waiver of immunity in relation to Mr Rizalman’s alleged offending, and provided me with a final report,” Mr McCully says.

“My intention was to release the Whitehead report and relevant correspondence immediately. However, Crown Law have provided clear advice that the findings of the Inquiry and associated documentation cannot be released until after Mr Rizalman’s trial.

“The conclusions reached by Mr Whitehead are not surprising, but they are disappointing. At the heart of the matter is a single email, events surrounding which are carefully canvassed by Mr Whitehead’s report. Through a number of procedural shortcomings, the Ministry led the Malaysian Government to a view on Mr Rizalman’s return to Malaysia that was different from the long standing policy of the New Zealand government on diplomatic immunity.

“Mr Whitehead makes 21 specific recommendations for procedural changes designed to ensure that we have no repetition of these events.

“While release of the report will need to await the conclusion of the criminal trial, I have forwarded the report to the Chief Executive, directing that all Mr Whitehead’s recommendations be implemented forthwith, and leaving him to consider any disciplinary issues that arise,” Mr McCully says.