Royal Commission report on Christchurch mosque shootings: calls for dedicated minister to monitor response

Islamic groups and survivors of the March 15 mosque attack are calling on the government to appoint a dedicated minister to oversee its response to the royal commission’s report on the shootings to be released next week.

The 792-page report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch terror attacks is expected to be released on Tuesday.

The investigation, chaired by Sir William Young, has been investigating the activities of Australian mass murderer Brenton Tarrant prior to the attacks, including his travel to New Zealand and around the world, how he obtained firearms, his use of social media and which relevant state sector agencies knew about him prior to the attacks.

He also looked at what actions state agencies took, what else they could have done, and whether some of them, such as intelligence agencies, were too busy observing Islamic fundamentalism at the expense of the threat of white nationalism.

The report, which took into account some 400 interviews, including one with Tarrant, who was jailed for life without parole in August, is expected to include many recommendations aimed at preventing future similar tragedies.

But many Islamic groups, along with the victims and survivors of the attacks, want a dedicated government minister appointed to ensure the recommendations are properly addressed, similar to Andrew Little’s role as minister responsible for the Pike River reentry.

The Council of Islamic Women of New Zealand has requested a dedicated minister during its engagement with the government surrounding the release of the report.

“It is important that someone has specific responsibility in the cabinet to ensure that the Royal Commission’s recommendations are implemented,” said national coordinator Anjum Rahman.

“This enables accountability and provides a focal point for community engagement.”

It is understood that a reference group of the Muslim community will also be established to work with the government on its response.

Temel Atacocugu, who was shot nine times at Masjid Al Noor on March 15, 2019, also supports a single Government point of contact to help expedite the response.

“I remember that the Pike River tragedy happened a long time ago, but it has not yet been resolved and I hope we do not have the same problem as those victims,” ​​he said.

Faisal Sayed of the Linwood Islamic Charitable Trust, who survived the March 15 mass shooting, also agrees.

“I firmly believe that it will add more value to the quality of work and the pace of an already long process,” he said.

A spokesman for the Canterbury Muslim Association and the Al Noor Mosque said that the “specific needs and support of the community have been lost and diluted” within a category of ethnic communities.

“We do not want to see a strategy of continuous participation in which we are treated like a photo session, where our silence is seen as complicit acquiescence,” he said.

“We do have a voice and something to contribute to Aotearoa, we do not feel that we will advance as a country without this. This will take time, and this will require investment. Our hope is that our Government not only listens to our concerns, but also listens to them.” .

There is also great interest in how the report will address New Zealand hate speech, which Justice Minister Little last year called “woefully inappropriate”.

After March 15, a review on hate speech was launched, and although the changes ultimately failed, the Labor Party promised before the election that it would pursue opportunities for legislation to crack down on hate speech and discrimination.

Canterbury Muslim Association spokesman Ahmed Khan hopes the government will take swift action on hate speech laws.

The detailed submission by the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) to the investigation says that the gunman’s “highly unusual travel history” should have acted as a red flag for authorities.

FIANZ also expressed grave concern that the police granted the killer a firearms license in September 2017, just after his arrival in New Zealand. They struggle to see how he could have been found fit and proper to be licensed and violate their own investigative procedures.

The investigation report was delivered to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Jan Tinetti, and will be released publicly next Tuesday, after being shared for the first time with the families of the victims and the leaders of political parties.

The evidence contributed by ministers and heads of the public sector to the investigation, led by Commissioner Sir William Young, will be suppressed for 30 years. The interview with Tarrant will never be published for fear that it may inspire and help further attacks.

National security was cited as a reason for the suppressions. The full publication of the evidence could provide an “instruction manual for future terrorists,” commissioners said. Those concerns would likely have “dissipated” in 30 years, they said.

Five key things to expect from the report

• Firearms license: How did the police find Tarrant a suitable person to issue a firearms license?
• Weapons: How did you accumulate high-powered weaponry and thousands of rounds of ammunition?
• Under the radar: How did the gunman go unnoticed by the New Zealand police and spy agencies, GCSB and NZSIS? What information did they have on companies like Tarrant?
• Threats: Did the police and security agencies ignore warnings from the Muslim community because they were too focused on Islamic extremism?
• Hate speech: an examination of current New Zealand laws and proposed legislative changes.