A Chinese diplomat was not issued a speeding ticket until months after the offence – and only after 1News made inquiries about the incident.
A series of discussions took place between police, officials and the Chinese embassy before the issue was resolved, with Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters saying diplomats should follow NZ's laws.
Emails show the car was alleged to have been speeding on Western Hutt Road in Lower Hutt at 7.40pm on April 25 last year.
Three days after the incident, a police inspector emailed Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) officials providing them with details of what happened and asking for the matter to "please be brought to the attention of the Embassy and can the driver please be identified".
The case then appears to go cold for a number of months until May 12 when Inspector Greg Phillips emails MFAT officials asking if they have an update and if they have had a response from the Chinese embassy.
MFAT officials provide a response a day later, but the contents of that email are redacted in the documents provided to 1News under the Official Information Act.
A month later, on June 10, Phillips asks again if there's been an update.
A further update is provided to police, but its contents are again redacted.
On August 1, the case makes some progress when a meeting is held at police national headquarters between the tactical operations director for police and MFAT's chief of protocol.
While he did not attend, emails show Foreign Minister Winston Peters was briefed and he said that his expectations were that "all diplomats need to understand that they must follow our laws".
A follow up email is sent by Phillips which reveals more details of what happened. He says police officers followed the vehicle with its blue and red flashing lights turned on. It also says there was an off-duty officer who was at the scene who Phillips was seeking a response from.
Twenty days later, a key meeting takes place between MFAT's deputy chief of protocol and the Chinese embassy.
All notes of this meeting have been redacted in the communication released to 1News.
The embassy sent an email the day after the meeting. That email’s content is also redacted, but the embassy does provide the details of the driver.
Bede Corry, Chief Executive of MFAT, is briefed around this time.
The ministry passes on the details to police, following up a week later to ask if officers will take enforcement action.
Phillips emails back on September 3, saying: "To progress a final decision around enforcement action on this issue, I will be seeking a Police legal opinion."
MFAT then follows up with police twice over the course of September to ask for updates, but still no enforcement action is taken.
There's no further correspondence until 1News is alerted to the incident and files queries with MFAT, police and Peters’ office on October 15.
Peters' senior foreign advisor is contacted by MFAT. The adviser then asks for advice as the minister is about to appear before media and needs to know how he should respond.
A short line is then provided by MFAT saying: “This is a matter for police, it’s our expectation that all embassies adhere to NZ laws.”
A day later, police provided 1News with a statement: "Police are working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the relevant foreign mission in relation to an incident, in April this year, involving a vehicle with diplomatic plates."
A day later, on October 17, an email titled “infringement notice update” is sent from the Hutt Valley area commander to MFAT.
On October 21, police confirmed in a short statement to 1News that a speeding infringement has been issued to an individual.
Multiple attempts were made by 1News to get comment from the Chinese Embassy over a number of months, but no response was provided.
Police this week said the infringement notice was paid immediately after as it was issued.
SHARE ME