KEY POINTS:
The Government declined Rex Haig's application for compensation for wrongful conviction and imprisonment after accepting the finding of an independent inquiry.
Mr Haig was imprisoned after being found guilty of the 1994 murder of Invercargill fisherman Mark Roderique, a crew member on his fishing boat, the Antares, at Jacksons Bay, on the South Island's West Coast.
He spent 10 years in prison before his conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal. He then applied for compensation.
But an investigation by Mr Robert Fisher QC found it was more probable than not that Mr Haig participated in Mr Roderique's murder.
"After carefully considering Mr Fisher's report, including meeting with him face to face to discuss his conclusions, I have decided to accept his advice, and today have informed Mr Haig that his claim for compensation has been declined," Justice Minister Simon Power said today.
Mr Haig applied for compensation in November 2006, and the claim was referred to Mr Fisher for assessment in September 2007 by then-Justice Minister Mark Burton.
"A fundamental requirement for payment of compensation under the Cabinet guidelines is that a Queen's Counsel is satisfied that the claimant is innocent on the balance of probabilities of the crime for which he was convicted and imprisoned.
"In this case, Mr Fisher had to establish that it was more likely than not that Mr Haig was not involved in the murder of Mr Roderique, either alone or as a party," Mr Power said.
Mr Haig says he has been denied compensation after serving 10 years in prison for murder before having his conviction quashed.
In August 2006, nearly two years after Mr Haig was released on parole, the Court of Appeal quashed the murder conviction and found there was an "evidential basis" to suggest Mr Haig's nephew and crewmate, David Hogan, may have been the killer.
Mr Hogan, who was given immunity by police to testify against Mr Haig, denies he was responsible.
Mr Haig told the Herald today he was disappointed.
"But I'm used to them going against me, so it's no big shock."
He said there were still too many unanswered questions over both the killing of Mr Roderique, and the murder of another man, Anton Sherlock, nine days before he was to give evidence at Mr Haig's trial.
- with NZ Herald Staff
