Privacy doesn't wash: Victim's dad

The bereaved Tauranga father of a teenage son killed by a reckless driver says police need to re-evaluate a review threatening media naming and shaming convicted drink-drivers.

Western Bay of Plenty police have stopped releasing the names of convicted drink-drivers who have appeared in Tauranga District Court to the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend because they are reviewing their policy on the matter.

This paper regularly publishes names, occupations and sentences of every convicted drink-driver as part of a campaign to make Tauranga's roads safer.

A police spokeswoman said there were concerns around privacy which sparked the review by some police districts and in addition, a significant amount of work was required to collate and validate the information "for which there is currently limited demand".

Tauranga man Ken Evans lost his 18-year-old son Grant 32 years ago but he and his family still felt heartbreak every time they heard of a drink-driving crash.

Mr Evans said he believed the list should continue because its community impact was too valuable to ignore.

"As a family we just continue to suffer the loss of our beautiful son and all that may have been so far. That's why I take the stance I do in that regard, because there are other people out there who are going to lose their sons and daughters from drink-drivers.

"If we can just stop one drunk from killing someone else's son or daughter or any family member, then it would be worthwhile."

Mr Evans, who also heads Tauranga Sensible Sentencing Trust, said the publishing of the list was responsible and carried out a community service.

He said police privacy concerns did not wash with him because convictions were heard in a public court.

A bayofplentytimes.co.nz online poll yesterday found 82 per cent of respondents wanted names published. Only 8 per cent said it was unfair and should stop.

Labour police spokesman Kris Faafoi said the information was public record and he hoped the matter was not a result of budget cuts or restructuring.

AA motoring affairs general manager Mike Noon said the body contacted police to raise its concerns as the lists were an effective deterrent.

Bay of Plenty Times editor Scott Inglis said it was important police continued to provide the information as a deterrent and to keep the pressure on drink-drivers.

"This review is wrong. It makes no sense and does not line up with their road safety campaigning," he said.

"The public have a right to know these names and details. Drink drivers do not deserve privacy. They lose that when they put innocent lives at risk through their selfish behaviour."

The country's Media Freedom Committee chairman and editor-in-chief of the New Zealand Herald, Tim Murphy, said newspapers had been publishing the lists for years, for the public good and the matter smacked of police not wanting to be bothered anymore.

But Chen Palmer privacy law expert Nicholai Anderson said police had good reason to be concerned.

While reporters were free to report on convictions in open court, police might not have a legitimate reason to release information from court records, he said.

In 2009, police stopped providing the lists citing privacy concerns but Justice Minister Judith Collins made police find a way around the concerns. She would not comment while the police review was under way.

- with APNZ