Newstalk ZB
A political feud is deepening over the Labour Party’s selection of Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo as a list candidate, after Labour’s police spokeswoman accused the Police Minister of violating police’s independence. Naidoo’s selection was announced on Monday. Labour leader Chris Hipkins said conversations had been ongoing for months but Naidoo only disclosed it to his supervisor last week. Police Minister and National MP Mark Mitchell quickly voiced his “disappointment” that Naidoo, the police’s ethnic, iwi and communities national partnerships manager, hadn’t spoken up earlier and said he was concerned about Naidoo’s access to sensitive information related to public safety and Government policy. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers made similar comments later in a separate statement before telling the Herald an investigation would be conducted into whether Naidoo inappropriately shared sensitive information with any third party over the period he was being courted by Labour. Naidoo has not commented publicly, but Hipkins has defended his newest candidate, saying he had conducted himself with the “utmost integrity” and was adamant no sensitive information was shared with Labour. Speaking to Newstalk ZB this morning alongside Mitchell, Labour police spokeswoman and former Police Minister Ginny Andersen alleged Mitchell had instructed Chambers to react in the way he did to Naidoo’s selection. “Just because you make the commissioner say something doesn’t make it true,” Andersen claimed, which Mitchell strongly rejected. Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo (left) and Police Minister Mark Mitchell are engaged in a political feud. Chambers said in a statement he had “no comment to make” regarding Andersen’s claim. By law, the police are operationally independent from the Government and any suggestion a minister has inappropriately intervened is considered a serious breach. Part of the reason former Labour Police Minister Stuart Nash lost the police portfolio in the previous Government was for appearing to encourage then Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to appeal a judicial ruling. Hipkins, speaking at his public transport policy announcement this morning, wouldn’t repeat Andersen’s comments but said he was “very comfortable with what Ginny said”. “I’m surprised the Police Commissioner is deciding to play this out in public, he still has a responsibility as a good employer,” the Labour leader said. “Rakesh Naidoo has done nothing wrong in putting his hand up to be a Member of Parliament. “I think it’s very unfortunate that the Police Commissioner is choosing to make public comments with no evidential base whatsoever about an outstanding member of the police force.” Hipkins wouldn’t answer directly whether he felt Chambers’ actions made him fit for the role. Hipkins said he hadn’t spoken with Naidoo about the matter as Naidoo was on pre-planned leave but the Labour leader reiterated his confidence in his candidate. “I’m absolutely confident that he has done nothing wrong and that his integrity is beyond reproach.” National leader Christopher Luxon described Andersen’s comments as a “load of rubbish”. “I think she should withdraw those remarks because Mark Mitchell respects the independence of the Police Commissioner and the police, as does this Government. “That’s an employment matter for the Police Commissioner to step into, and he’s free to do whatever he wants to do.” Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.
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