Pollies: National's Mark Mitchell and Labour's Ginny Andersen on the latest McSkimming information, police culture

A damning report into the handling of complaints against Jevon McSkimming reveals interference and cover-ups during the "Commissioner-appointment" process.  

The former Deputy Police Commissioner is awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to having child sexual exploitation and bestiality material on his work devices. 

A watchdog report finds some of the nation's highest ranking officers ignored a young woman's anonymous complaints against McSkimming and prosecuted her for harassment. 

Gagging orders were put in place to ostensibly protect the reputation of McSkimming - who was a top candidate to replace outgoing Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. 

It has been revealed that emails regarding the subject were also sent to the office of Police Minister Mark Mitchell, but he was blocked from seeing them. 

“They put a protocol in place whereby I was not to have visibility on it, or any of my political staff, and they were going to be handled by PNHQ,” he told Mike Hosking. 

“So I had no visibility on any emails that I received, you know, that came through my office.”  

When asked who is the bigger criminal in this case, McSkimming for his behaviour or Costa for covering it up, Mitchell told Hosking they’re as bad as each other.  

"It’s atrocious behaviour,” he said. 

“They have put the rest of our outstanding police officers in an awful position – who turn up every day and quite simply do outstanding work.”  

The concern for Labour’s Ginny Andersen is the impact this situation will have on public trust and confidence in the Police. 

“New Zealanders should have every confidence that if they take a complaint to the Police, that it is investigated fully,” she told Hosking. 

“It does erode public trust and confidence that taking a complaint forward will be taken seriously and investigated.” 

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