Iraena's family vow police fight

Betty and Mike Asher have carried out private searches for Iraena. Picture / Martin Sykes

The parents of Iraena Asher will privately mark the first anniversary of her disappearance at Piha tomorrow but vow a public fight to hold police accountable for her death.

Mike and Betty Asher said yesterday they would pursue a claim of negligence against the police in the name of their daughter.

"It's not for us about money, compensation. There needs to be accountability and for our daughter Iraena, who lived her life well and strived to do the right thing. We're striving to do the right thing for her."

However, the family say their civil case has stalled because of the cost. They have been told the case would cost $200,000 and they cannot afford it.

"We are not willing to just give up. Going up against the system it's like it's all stacked against you but you have to try and be as clever as you can about it.

"We'd like to call for help from any good lawyer out there who would like to take [the case] up on a pro bono or as-to-win basis."

Police apologised two weeks after Ms Asher went missing but the family said that was the last contact they had.

"It's not through the police at all that we know anything. The police never keep in contact with us at all."

The Police Complaints Authority recently indicated that a review of the case should be available "within weeks", said Mrs Asher.

She said the family had carried out searches away from the public gaze.

"We have done quite a lot of things out there. We've gone and climbed over rocks and we've had divers out there. People don't know all the things that we've done."

Mrs Asher said love had kept the family together since Iraena went missing.

"We've got broken hearts but we survived."

Piha disappearance

* Iraena Asher was last seen in the early hours of October 11 last year after earlier phoning police for help which never arrived.

* Her call to the police Northern Communications Centre - which led to a taxi being sent to collect her but going to the wrong address - sparked a review of the handling of emergency calls.

* An independent report found the communications centres were understaffed and putting lives at risk.