It's too soon to say whether there needs to be a law change in how offenders are monitored once they're released from prison, Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga says.
Tony Douglas Robertson Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
A review has been ordered into the Department of Corrections' monitoring of Tony Douglas Robertson, who was convicted this year of the rape and murder of Auckland mother of three, Blessie Gotingco, in May 2014.
He had been released from prison in 2013 after serving the full eight-year term for crimes including abducting a child and sexually abusing her.
Robertson was under strict release conditions including a GPS monitor but victim support advocates say he should have also been physically monitored or under armed guard.
Tributes to Blessie Gotingco at Birkdale Primary School. Photo: RNZ / Kate Newton
The department has said it did all it could to monitor Robertson.
"We managed him to the very best of our ability," Corrections' northern regional commissioner Jeanette Burns said.
"We met all of our standards, in some instances we went over and above them - notwithstanding that the outcome here was absolutely tragic."
Mr Lotu-liga told Checkpoint he still trusted his department, despite ordering the review.
"I think it's too early to determine if any law changes are required at this point. What I'm trying to do, and I take this matter seriously, is to try and reassure the public and Blessie Gotingco's family that our communities are safe and that Corrections did play a full part in the handling of this case," he said.
Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
Mr Lotu-liga said he believed Corrections did everything right monitoring Robertson.
"According to the assurances I've got, they've done everything according to the law under their procedures."
However, Mr Lotu-Iiga dismissed questions about whether a review would still have happened if Robertson's name suppression was not lifted.
Labour leader Andrew Little said the review must look at what happened when Robertson was released and why his movements were not picked up.
"It just seems to me completely out of whack that he should have the level of freedom that he did," he said.
Corrections' claims offend Blessie's family
Gotingco family spokeswoman Ruth Money said Corrections' claims it exceeded its standards while monitoring Robertson were upsetting.
"For someone to say that they exceeded their practice standards is so offensive. If they did, in fact, exceed their practice standards, it just goes to prove that their standards are terrible, because at the end of the day we ended up with a dead member of the public," Ms Money said.
The family welcomed the review into the department's monitoring of Robertson and hoped it would be transparent, she said.
"It's what they've been calling for. It's what should have happened in the beginning, over a year ago," she said.
Preventive detention extension dismissed
The Sensible Sentencing Trust has asked for a law change to allow preventive detention to be added at the end of a sentence.
But the Minister of Justice, Amy Adams, dismissed that idea.
"I think it would be a significant departure from our legal framework to start changing the rule of the sentence," she said.
She also said that it was too early to tell if something went wrong in this case.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said it came back to Corrections being underfunded.
"Well I suggest first of all you get the firepower, that's the man power and the woman power, into the prisons to do the job properly," he said.
"There's no use having the technology and utilities unless you've got the personnel to man it."
Mr Lotu-Iiga said he was seeking advice on what form the review would take and who would lead it. The minister will discuss it at Cabinet on Monday.
