KEY POINTS:
Convicted double murderer David Wayne Tamihere will have to wait another three months for a parole hearing because of delays in preparing proposals for his release from prison.
Tamihere has served almost 18 years in prison after being convicted in 1990 of the murder of Swedish tourists Heidi Paakkonen and Urban Hoglin in Coromandel in 1989.
He appeared before the Parole Board on June 19 but his hearing was adjourned until September because not enough work had been done on a release proposal.
In a decision released yesterday, the board said Tamihere's family had put together a "very detailed release proposal". It was unfortunate that there had been no movement on the proposal, which had been filed within the required timeframe.
It had not been made available to the board and Corrections officials had yet to comment on it. "We ask that the detailed report be obtained and that there be a response to it so that we can consider this for our next meeting."
Katrina Casey, the Corrections manager of Community Probation and Psychological Services, said more than one release proposal was being prepared for Tamihere. The second proposal was received late, she said.
"The second proposal required further exploration, assessment and discussion with the offender. This will be done prior to the next Parole Board hearing."
The Parole Board said it was also worried that Tamihere's involvement in a Bicultural Therapy Model programme had "been abruptly stopped" after five sessions.
But Katrina Casey said there was nothing untoward. "Mutual agreement had been reached that the BTM had come to a natural conclusion. This is neither unusual nor inappropriate."
