Golriz Ghahraman privacy probe continues

The police opted not to file charges after a shoplifting allegation against the former Green MP. Photo / Michael Craig

By RNZ

The Privacy Commissioner has spent months looking into a matter involving Golriz Ghahraman, and is not finished yet.

In January, police opted not to file charges after a shoplifting allegation against the former Green MP.

It led at the time to questions about how police were alerted, and about the high-tech retail crime-fighting system at a Pak’nSave supermarket.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner began inquiries.

RNZ asked on Thursday for an update, eight months on. The office replied with a 13-word statement: “We’re still conducting our enquiries and will update you when these are complete.”

Invited to give a little more, the OPC then said: “We understand this inquiry has been ongoing for some time, but it is complex and involves several parties.

“While our inquiries are progressing, we are bound by our legislative requirement to maintain secrecy.”

A lawyer for the commissioner raised questions in the Court of Appeal this week about the lawfulness of police tapping into the same retail crime-fighting system, run by Auckland company Auror, as was involved in the Ghahraman matter.