A man who claims he fatally but accidentally shot his girlfriend in the head from point-blank range will remain behind bars.
Tuaine Llewellyn Bevan was denied an early released by the Parole Board last month.
The Otaki Beach man, now aged in his early 30s, was in 2012 jailed for six years and eight months for the manslaughter of his partner at their home, and possessing cannabis for supply.
A Palmerston North jury in 2012 acquitted Bevan of murder but found him guilty of the manslaughter of Stacey Lake, 23, who Bevan shot dead in May 2011.
Ms Lake was lying on her bed when she was shot in what the Crown argued was a planned killing over a domestic dispute. The defence said it was an accident and Bevan had removed the gun's magazine before firing, so didn't realise it was still a lethal weapon.
A Parole Board report released to the Herald today says Bevan "maintains his resistance" to doing any group rehabilitative programme, including with the drug treatment unit.
"The reason seems to be concerns about confidentiality of what is disclosed in those programmes," the report says.
Bevan has finished a "special treatment unit rehabilitation programme" and a recent psychological report recommended he have one-on-one psychological counselling, which Bevan is prepared to do.
He killed Ms Lake when on parole from a 3 1/2-year sentence for injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and is rated a "moderate" risk of re-offending.
The board reports also says Bevan needs more work on a proposed release plan and describes his behaviour behind bars as "patchy".
"Clearly parole must be declined at this stage. In our view Mr Bevan needs to accept the need to undertake significant rehabilitation work before he can be considered ready for release on parole," the board says.
His trial heard that Bevan told his brother on the day he killed Ms Lake he was in the "mood for destruction" because of a dispute with her. Bevan said Ms Lake had been "crying like a bitch" as they argued.
He will next be considered for released in April 2018, or earlier if he makes progress with his rehabilitation.