A suggestion National's promise to remove the right to remain silent could be expanded beyond cases involving children.

If re-elected, the party wants to remove the right, when a child under 12 is killed. 

The party admits the policy may breach the Bill of Rights Act, but says bringing accountability to unresolved cases outweighs the potential harms.

Chief Victims Advisor Ruth Money told Andrew Dickens the right to remain silent is also an issue in adult murders.

She says for example if there's two people in a house where someone's been killed, they can both remain silent and refuse justice for the victims family.