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PUBLIC UPDATE: Police vs Auditor‑General — Someone Isn’t Telling the Truth

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PUBLIC UPDATE: Police vs Auditor‑General — Someone Isn’t Telling the Truth

May be pop art of text that says 'OUR REPORT IDENTIFIESSIGNIFICANT IDENTIFIES SIGNIFICANT ISSUES, RISKS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. THANKS. EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDRIGHT NEED RIGHT NOW... OFFICE AUDITOR OF THE GENERAI Te ManaArotake Mana Arotak NOW, IT'S YOURS. ANOTHER HOT POTATO. NEW POLICE ZEALAND ZEALAND OFFICE THE AUDITOR GENERAL GENERAL TeManaArotake Mana aArotake POLICING FAILURES COST COSTOVERRU OVERRU POORPERFORI 知中 NEW POLIC NEWZEALAN ALAN SERIOUS SERIOUSCONCERNS CONCERNS NOT NOTFIT FITFORPURPOSE FIT FOR PURPOSE TELLING TELLINGITLIKEITIS. TLIKEITIS. EVEN WHENIT'S'Nigel Antony Gray
Over the past month I’ve been trying to get clarity on one very simple question:
Did New Zealand Police ever obtain independent laboratory testing for the Drug Wipe 3S roadside drug‑testing device — yes or no?
You’d think this would be straightforward.
It isn’t.
Here’s what has now happened.

1️⃣ The Auditor‑General told me: “Independent laboratory testing was conducted.”

In a letter dated 1 May 2026, the Office of the Auditor‑General (OAG) stated:

 

“Independent laboratory testing was conducted on all tenderers’ products…”
That’s a very strong claim.
So I asked the OAG for the evidence behind it.

2️⃣ I filed an OIA with the OAG asking for the lab reports, validation data, tender evaluation documents, and the probity review.

On 4 June 2026, I requested:
     
Everything you’d expect to exist if “independent laboratory testing” actually happened.

3️⃣ The OAG refused to release anything — but then said something extraordinary.

In their reply on 11 June 2026, the OAG said:

 

“The first, second and fifth categories of information you have requested will be held by New Zealand Police.”
Translated:
     
“Police hold those.”
This is where things get interesting.

4️⃣ Because Police have repeatedly told the public the exact opposite.

Across multiple OIA responses, Police have stated or implied:
     
So we now have a clean, documented contradiction:

🔥 OAG → “Police hold the lab testing.”

🔥 Police → “We don’t hold the lab testing.”

Both statements cannot be true.

5️⃣ I have now filed a formal OIA with Police requiring them to reconcile this contradiction.

Police must now answer — in writing — whether:
     
Either answer has consequences.

6️⃣ Why this matters

This isn’t about paperwork.
It’s about:
     
If independent laboratory testing exists, it should be released.
If it doesn’t exist, the public deserves to know that too.
There is no middle ground.

7️⃣ What happens next

I will publish Police’s response in full.
If they:
     
Either way, the truth is now boxed in.