Child Youth and Family should have alerted police to allegations that a principal was accused of sexual abuse, Parliament was told yesterday.
National MP Katherine Rich said police were informed only when media called seeking their comment.
The principal of Hato Paora (St Paul) College at Cheltenham, near
Feilding, Elvis Dobson Shepherd, known as Tihirau Shepherd, aged 46, is facing sex charges.
Ms Rich used parliamentary question time to ask why the Ministry of Education did not advise the school to contact police when it asked for advice.
An internal inquiry into the allegations, done in August, cleared the principal. A complaint was then made to police who investigated and laid charges.
Ms Rich said former Education Minister Steve Maharey was contacted about the case in August and he said schools were obliged to contact police when there were criminal allegations.
Answering on behalf of Education Minister Chris Carter, Parekura Horomia said the school was required to do an internal inquiry, then report its findings to either police or CYF.
"In fact reporting to one is the same as reporting to the others, as this case shows," he said.
Mr Horomia said police and CYF were required to share the information.
"I am advised that the protocols were followed in this case."
However Ms Rich said the police did not know about the case until called by the media. She asked how the Government could be satisfied with the ministry's handling of the case, considering the difference between the internal inquiry and the police decision to prosecute.
"Which proves the point that such complex and serious allegations are best investigated by the police."
Last week it was reported the college's board of trustees had sought advice from the Education Ministry but was not advised to contact police.
Shepherd has appeared in the Palmerston North District Court on four charges of sex offences from June and July this year and two others dating back to March 1990 but entered no plea and was bailed to appear in the Feilding District Court on November 20.
- NZPA
