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Convicted double murderer David Tamihere has been denied parole for a seventh time.
But the Parole Board said it supported Tamihere having home leave and would revisit its decision in November.
The board released its latest decision today after a hearing on June 5.
Tamihere, who is now 55 and suffers from a heart problem and arthritis, has spent 19 years in prison after being convicted for the murders of Swedish tourists Urban Hoglin and Heidi Paakkonen in 1990.
Tamihere admitted stealing the couple's car and selling some of their effects but, despite his December 1990 conviction and unsuccessful appeals to the Court of Appeal and Privy Council, has always denied the murders.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years.
The prosecution claimed he stole Mr Hoglin's watch and gave it to his son. Mr Hoglin's body and watch were found in October 1991, about 70 kilometres from where police said the murders happened.
Tamihere had skipped bail for a 1986 rape and was on the run when the murders were committed.
He also has a conviction for the 1972 manslaughter of an Auckland prostitute.
While the board would not grant parole, it said it would support home leave , a system allowing prisoners to visit support people in the community, usually accompanied by a prison officer.
The board would also support a release to work if possible so Tamihere could begin the process of reintegration into the community.
A Department of Corrections spokeswoman said the department was unable to say whether Tamihere had already had home leave because of privacy reasons.
At the hearing the board was told Tamihere had been 100 per cent compliant in prison, and that he was keen to complete an intensive course of treatment so the board could reassess him in November.
The board said Tamihere had once again denied any involvement in the murders and had said he did not know where the body of Ms Paakkonen was.
"It is clear to us that there is never going to be any change in Mr Tamihere's stance about this. He has always denied his offending and will continue to do so."
The board said a psychological report had shown that Tamihere had recently begun speaking out about his previous sexual offending but that he was still in the early stages of treatment.
"The report also indicates that substantial more treatment is needed before his risk can be lowered to the point where a release would be supported."
- NZPA
