Name suppression lets alleged vandal of Winston Peters’ home dodge accountability

10 October 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Name suppression lets alleged vandal of Winston Peters’ home dodge accountability

Granting name suppression to the individual accused of breaking into Winston Peters’ home limits accountability, stifles open justice, and undermines the courts. The media should be free to report this detail, and the public should have the right to know who is accused, says Jillaine Heather, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union.

“Open justice is a cornerstone of democracy. When the public is barred from knowing who stands accused, especially in a case involving high-profile complainants, transparency and trust in the justice system suffer. 

“Accountability requires openness. Without it, the public cannot have confidence that the law is being applied fairly or consistently. Name suppression is too often used and not applied equally and fairly. It creates mystery and suspicion and can draw even more attention than it otherwise would have.

“Name suppression restricts what journalists and citizens are legally allowed to say, limiting the public’s right to discuss matters of political and social importance. If the public is expected to trust the system, the system must trust the public with information.

“Kiwis deserve a justice system that operates in daylight, not behind closed doors. If we want confidence in the rule of law, we must insist on transparency.”