Twice convicted double murderer Mark Lundy will no longer be subjected to a curfew, can speak to journalists and is allowed to visit social media sites after proving to the Parole Board he can comply with his release conditions.
But he is not allowed to set up any social media profiles or post any content. And he is still banned from accessing pornography.
Lundy, 66, was released from prison in May after more than 23 years behind bars for murdering his wife, Christine, and his 7-year-old daughter, Amber.
Today, the Parole Board revealed it has agreed to relax some of the conditions it imposed when he returned to the community
Christine and Amber were found dead in their Palmerston North home after being attacked with what is believed to have been an axe or tomahawk.
Lundy has always maintained that someone else killed his family.
He took appeals against his convictions all the way to the Privy Council, which quashed the guilty verdict in 2013, only for him to be found guilty again in 2015 on retrial and sent back to prison.
Lundy has been living in the community for six months now, but will be subject to lifetime release conditions and can be recalled to prison if he breaches any of those.
One condition was to not speak to the media; an order only ever imposed on a few high-profile offenders.
He appeared before the Parole Board in October for a monitoring hearing - a chance for authorities to hear how he had been handling life outside the wire.
Media are regularly allowed to attend and report on parole hearings.
However, reporters were refused access to Lundy’s progress hearing after his lawyer argued the killer’s ability to speak and respond to questions would be “chilled” by their presence.
The board did not accept that - media attendance had not been an issue at Lundy’s previous three appearances before the board.
However, there are multiple registered victims of Lundy’s offending who expressed a “clear preference” that the media be excluded.
A summary of the hearing has now been released by the board.
“We have been provided with a report from his probation officer. That report advises that Mr Lundy has been fully compliant with his release conditions,” said Parole Board panel convenor Neville Trendle.
“He remains living at the residence to which he was released and has the continuing support of the family members involved.
“He is gradually expanding his social contacts.”
Trendle said Lundy had passed a drug test.
His probation officer had checked his electronic devices and confirmed the offender had complied with the conditions related to their use.
“His probation officer reports no further treatment is required,” said Trendle.
“So far as his release conditions are concerned, Mr Lundy’s probation officer recommended the board consider discharging the partial residential restrictions condition.
“We accept that the need for the curfew condition has effectively expired so far as Mr Lundy’s reintegration is concerned. It will be discharged.”
Lundy’s lawyer asked the board to consider varying the condition banning him from using social media.
“The reason for that has arisen due to Mr Lundy accessing or seeking information from various sources, but finding that it may involve information from a social media site such as Facebook,” Trendle explained.
“The board resolved to vary the condition to make it clear that Mr Lundy is not to have a social media account or post anything on a social media account.”
Lundy’s lawyer also asked the board to reconsider the condition stating he was “not to initiate any media contact and to decline any request from any media for an interview”.
“This condition was imposed to prevent media contact upon his release. While the media interest in Mr Lundy’s progress in the community remains, the continued restriction on his ability to respond to any request can no longer be sustained,” said Trendle.
“The condition will be discharged.
“The board is cognisant of the expressed wishes of his victims that his conditions remain unchanged.”
Trendle said that although Lundy “appears to have made good progress in his reintegration” it was of the view that he still needed to be monitored closely.
“We are of the view that his ongoing compliance and progress should be the subject of a further report to the board by his probation officer.
“Accordingly, we will see him again in March 2026 for a further monitoring hearing.”
Lundy is still banned from entering the Hastings, Manawatū, Rangitikei and Nelson areas and continues to be subject to electronic monitoring.
He is further banned from accessing “any pornography or dating sites or any other internet site specified” by his probation officer.
And he while he can now visit social media sites like Facebook, he is “not to have a social media account or profile or post anything on any social media site”.
Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 20 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz