Christchurch terrorist attack Royal Commission report to be released today

December 8, 2020

But large chunks of the findings are expected to be kept secret for decades.

The findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch terrorist attacks will be released at 2pm today, but large chunks of the findings are expected to be kept secret for decades.

The 800-page report includes evidence and submissions by current and former ministers, but much of the report is likely to be redacted and suppressed for 30 years.

On March 15 last year, 51 people, including children, were killed by a lone gunman at two Christchurch mosques. Many more were injured.

Brenton Tarrant admitted to 51 charges of murder, 40 charges of attempted murder and one terror charge following the hateful shootings at Christchurch’s Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre at his sentencing in August.

It will be made public 20 months after the atrocity that left 51 people dead.

Tarrant will serve the rest of his life in Auckland Prison at Paremoremo.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison have said there are no plans to deport the shooter, an Australian national, back to Australia.

However, Ardern has announced a minister will be appointed to implement the report's recommendations.

Tomorrow, the Royal Commission into the March 15 terrorist attack will be released, a day before the one-year anniversary of the Whakaari eruption.

Yesterday, she said she found reading the Royal Commission report  tough .

"If I found it tough, I can only imagine how distressing [the Muslim community] will find it.

"That's why we owe it to the community — they're not going through this for nothing."

The long-awaited report is now in the hands of those who survived the attack and the families of those who were killed.

Ardern said in regards to the attack, they wanted to ensure that if there were any failings by Government agencies or any preventative action that could have been taken, that that had been identified and learned from. 

She said the Government would release initial responses, with some recommendations by the Royal Commission that would take time to implement and some they would move quickly on. 

The PM addressed around 200 Muslim women today.


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