Three-year-old Lachie was found dead in an oxidation pond 1.2km from his home on January 29, 2019, and it was quickly written off by police as a tragic drowning.
But the boy’s father, Paul Jones, has always challenged that conclusion.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times yesterday, Mr Jones said he was feeling "positive" about the call to bring in fresh investigators.
"They've done as they've been directed, so that's positive to begin with anyway," he said. He hoped the new inquiry would be "done right".
Mr Jones wanted more involvement to avoid more "rubbish" police investigations.
"I've got belief in what the coroner's put forward and the system [he’s] put in place ... as long as someone oversees it and it's done to a correct standard," Mr Jones said.
"I've got questions I need to be answered and if they don't know what questions I want answered, it won't move forward in the way I want it to."
Last month, Coroner Alexander Ho released his 162-page findings, calling the investigation of the toddler’s death "a shambles" and ordering a new police inquiry.
Even after two police investigations and a coronial inquiry which lasted multiple weeks, and heard from numerous witnesses, the coroner said there remained unanswered questions about the circumstances of the boy’s death.
A police spokeswoman said Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur from Waikato District had been assigned to lead the investigation as the senior investigating officer.
Detective Superintendent Ross McKay, from the North Island, would have oversight as the senior responsible officer.
A terms of reference for the investigation was being finalised. The spokeswoman said she could provide no further details at this stage.
