Convicted murderer John Barlow has been denied parole for a third time because the Parole Board says he poses an undue risk to public safety.
Barlow, 64, has served 14 years for the murders of Gene and Eugene Thomas in their downtown Wellington office in 1994.
Barlow maintains his innocence, despite the Privy Council rejecting an appeal last year.
In its ruling, the the Parole Board said it had serious concerns about Barlow's attitude.
"We consider that he is overconfident about his ability to fit into society as a law-abiding citizen and that his involvement in the community work gang and his one home leave have not been sufficient to expose him to the reality of life outside the wire or enabled him to formulate appropriate responses to challenging situations", the board said in its decision.
It said it is concerned that Barlow admitted supplying fellow prisoners with cigarettes and being paid for them with money or food.
"He explained this on the basis that it was general practice within the prison environment and that, unlike the gangs who use stand-over tactics to extort repayment, he caused no harm to any individual. In our view it demonstrates his lack of judgement and a ready tendency to justify his behaviour which in fact breaches the rules," the board said
The other major concern of the Board is Barlow's attitude towards the family of Gene and Eugene Thomas and what he would do if he inadvertently met up with any of them.
"When asked about this he gave as an example a situation when he was on bail and (a member of the family) came into a restaurant where Mr Barlow was already eating. He spoke of the pleasant conversation that they had and how the interaction was all very civilised. He was asked what he would do if a similar situation arose again. He did not see the need to do anything different. His approach seemed to be to put the onus on the family to make the move rather than he taking the initiative. He showed a complete lack of understanding of their predicament."
Barlow's wife, Angela Barlow, says her husband has done his time, is a model prisoner and should be released.
She told Morning Report her husband will cope well with life outside prison.
Mrs Barlow said that on a recent home visit, it was as though the past 15 or 16 years had "dissolved".
Barlow will be assessed again in six months.
