Shooting Cop Named

New Zealand Truth Weekly, Thursday, October 4, 2007

The decision to publish the name of the officer involved in the shooting of Stephen Jon Bellingham in a Christchurch street last week was not taken lightly.

Facts already in the public domain were published without comment after being carefully assessed by the paper’s executive. It was strictly a news judgement call - a basic news reporting decision.

We reject claims Truth’s motives were commercial. We may gain sales. We may lose some. That was not the issue.

We are confident our readers want to read the truth - and that they can handle it.

We feel the media is bound to give full disclosure, and that the public has the right to know the facts. News is largely about naming names. That’s what people want to know.

When Truth moved from Australian to New Zealand ownership earlier this year the new owners made it clear the paper would be prepared to take a stand on issues not covered by mainstream media.

It would be rebranded and news coverage expanded. It would return to its old roots, when the paper was one of the country’s most popular. This has happened.

Our decision to name the police officer this issue was partly based on the fact that it was “a public act in a public place by a public officer”.

High Court judges John Doogue and Bruce Robertson declared this in 2000, when overturning an injunction backed by the Police Association to keep secret the name of Constable Keith Abbott, who shot to death window breaker Steve Wallace in Waitara.

Wayne Butler

Editor

NZ Truth Weekly

ENDS

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