By Patrick Gower
A top-level police review of the leaking of former National Party leader Don Brash's e-mails has failed to find a culprit.
John Key says it was a hacker but author of The Hollow Man Nicky Hager says the leaker is still on the political stage.
Don Brash was talking away today about everything but the emails that finished off his political career.
“It’s not five years old and most people are now saying, ‘let’s get over this’,” Dr Brash says.
Dr Brash has always argued the emails were stolen or hacked.
He complained the original police investigation wasn't good enough, but the review, which interviewed 199 people, backed the original finding that this was likely to be a National Party inside job.
It found the emails were stolen "from within", "the overthrow of Don Brash was a political act that did not disclose criminal activity" and the "investigator wanted to ensure that police were not used or manipulated" for political ends.
The review highlights Dr Brash's habit of printing out his emails which were left for shredding, with hundreds of them used in the book The Hollow Man – which finished Dr Brash off.
3 News asked The Hollow Man's author Nicky Hager if the source of the e-mails is still on the political stage – he gave a one word answer.
“Yes.”
Mr Key believes it was a hacker and dismisses those who continue to say there is a rat in his ranks.
“Bollocks is another way of putting it, but I think its absolute nonsense,” Mr Key says.
John Key wouldn't say who he believes hacked the e-mails but it is clear he does not trust his parliamentary computer and rarely uses it to send emails of any consequence.
3 News