Winston Peters has been quizzed by media over his relationship with embattled Deputy Police Commissioner Wally Haumaha today.
It comes after Cabinet today agreed to launch as independent inquiry into Mr Haumaha's appointment to the role of Deput Commissioner over comments he made about the Louise Nicholas rape case.
Mr Peters, the Acting Prime Minister was asked in the post-Cabinet press conference today if Mr Haumaha should be stood down from his newly appointed position while the inquiry takes place, to which he replied "no".
Mr Peters was then asked if there was a conflict of interest with the Deputy Police Commissioner, as he applied to seek selection to stand for New Zealand First in 2005.
"There has been an allegation that he was a candidate, which is false, candidates for NZ First are those people who withstand the electorate specific or the list process nomination and notification all the way to the electoral commission, he did not," Mr Peters said.
Mr Peters said "a whole lot of people start and then stop" when it comes to seeking selection to political parties and he has no idea what Mr Haumaha's political associations are now.
Tracey Martin will be responsible for the inquiry as Minister of Internal Affairs. Mr Peters says it wouldn't be appropriate for police or the State Services Commissioner to be involved.
The announcement of the inquiry comes after Deputy Police Commissioner Wally Haumaha on Friday issued a public apology for comments he made about the Louise Nicholas rape case in 2004.
Wally Hauhama was appointed to the role of Deputy Commissioner in May this year.
Ms Nicholas alleged she was raped by police officers as a teenager in the 1980s which resulted in criminal trials. Three were acquitted of rape but one officer was jailed for attempting to obstruct or defeat the course of justice.
On Friday NZ Herald reported that an officer told the 2004 Operation Austin investigation into the police sex allegations that now Deputy Commissioner Haumaha had called Ms Nicholas' allegations "a nonsense" and that "nothing really happened and we have to stick together".
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