The private investigators and security guards registrar Gary Harrison dismissed the objections of Bruce Van Essen and 15 others and granted Peter Gibbons, Graeme Scott and their company Mainland Information Consultants' (MIC) applications to renew their licences in a written decision released to the public yesterday.
The objectors withdrew from the hearing last Tuesday, citing ACC staff presence in and around the court room and badgering in cross-examination.
In his decision, Mr Harrison noted the topics of cross-examination were relevant and appropriate and that, particularly on the matter of who drafted the objections, Mr Van Essen was "truculent, and obstructive in his answers".
He disagreed with the objector's advocate Michael Gibson that MIC's lawyer was badgering Mr Van Essen, and did not support Mr Gibson's objections to the cross-examination, which he said were "really directed at attempts to save Mr Van Essen from answering questions he was attempting to avoid".
"I reject any suggestion of improper cross-examination."
He found the objectors' decision to withdraw from the hearing because people from ACC were in or about the courtroom "extraordinary", but it at least confirmed the objectors were acting in concert, Mr Harrison said.
He pressed Mr Gibson on his concerns regarding ACC, but said Mr Gibson "could not, or did not" provide a satisfactory answer.
"If he was suggesting that in some way I would be swayed by the evidence given by ACC personnel without assessing all of the evidence in a fair and objective manner, then I reject that suggestion, utterly."
If Mr Gibson had been admitted to the Bar, "I would have had no hesitation in referring his allegations to the appropriate Law Society disciplinary committee," Mr Harrison said.
Because the first objector's evidence was not finalised and no other evidence was heard, he had no option but to dismiss all the objections, he concluded.
Costs for MIC should be filed and served on Mr Gibson, on behalf of the objectors, within 14 days and objectors would then receive a further 14 days to respond.
When contacted, Mr Van Essen said he had not received a copy of the registrar's decision last night and was disappointed to hear about it from the media.
He understood the other objectors had not received a copy either.
He declined to comment until he had read it.
Mr Gibbons said he was pleased with the outcome.
"We stand by our side of the story and the only possible conclusion was reached by the registrar."
