The Press Thursday, December 23, 1976. Mr Moyle’s... (Press, 23 December 1976)

The Commission of Inquiry into the "Moyle affair" has concluded that there was no unauthorised access to the police report regarding an incident involving former Minister of Agriculture Mr Moyle and a police constable in Wellington in June 1975. The inquiry, led by Sir Alfred North, found no evidence of improper conduct by any police officers. Sir Alfred emphasised the significance of having a police force that operates with integrity, suggesting that the public can have confidence in its officers. However, the inquiry unveiled contradictions in Mr Moyle's account of the events, noting that he provided four different explanations. Despite Mr Moyle's assertion that these accounts do not conflict, they do appear inconsistent. The inquiry's findings imply that he may have been acting on gossip and sought to investigate alleged connections between the police and the National Party independently. When confronted by a policeman, he reportedly fabricated excuses to conceal his true intentions, and he continued this deception even while assuring Parliament of his honesty. Following the inquiry's findings, Mr Moyle's resignation was deemed inevitable, as announced by Opposition Leader Mr Rowling. If Mr Moyle stands for re-election in a by-election next year, it will offer the Labour Party's selection committee and voters in Mangere an opportunity to evaluate his conduct. Mr Moyle's claim that the affair was a tactic used by the Prime Minister to oust him from Parliament was dismissed as implausible. The inquiry highlighted a particularly contentious exchange in Parliament on November 4, where Mr Moyle and Prime Minister Mr Muldoon engaged in heated and bitter remarks. Notably, Mr Muldoon mentioned Mr Moyle's "effeminate giggles," which led to a series of accusations regarding Mr Moyle's character. The inquiry also addressed the overall standard of parliamentary debate, stating that the level of discourse had deteriorated significantly. Sir Alfred specifically noted the appalling nature of the exchanges, finding Mr Muldoon often to be a particularly poor example of taste and decorum. He suggested that members of Parliament must take responsibility for restoring civility in their discussions. Furthermore, the inquiry recommended a need for better clarity regarding the responsibilities of the Minister of Police when incidents involving Parliament members are reported. It noted that Minster Mr Connelly acted appropriately by informing the Prime Minister about the incident but fell short in ensuring comprehensive communication about its developments. In summary, while the inquiry cleared the police of wrongdoing, it exacerbated public distrust in Mr Moyle due to his inconsistent accounts, leading to his resignation and calls for improved parliamentary conduct and clearer protocols for ministerial responsibilities.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand