In a statement, Chambers said he had been informed by Naidoo’s supervisor on Thursday afternoon that he was considering standing for Labour and on Sunday, Chambers was told Naidoo had confirmed he’d accepted a list position.
“Superintendent Naidoo has not contacted me directly on this and I am very disappointed that he did not inform me or his supervisor that he was in discussions about his candidacy at an earlier stage.
“The Police Manual requires staff who are intending to stand for public office to advise of their intentions as early as possible. That is essential to ensure conflicts of interest and work tasks can be managed so that the neutrality and impartiality of Police is not brought into question.
“I have not previously had any cause for concern about Superintendent Naidoo’s impartiality in his work for NZ Police.
“However, given the nature of his role, I believe it is untenable for him to continue with his current duties and that his candidacy will affect his ability to be seen as independent.”
Chambers said police would consult with Naidoo regarding the period of leave he would be required to take ahead of the election.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers and Police Minister Mark Mitchell during a press conference at Parliament in November. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Earlier, Mitchell voiced his disappointment, pointing to Naidoo’s access to sensitive briefings related to public safety and government policy.
“In my view it is critical that the public can have confidence that Police are politically neutral. The respectful and right thing to do would have been for Mr Naidoo to be transparent and disclose his intentions from the outset.
“Police have clear guidelines for staff pursuing political matters, and it is now for them to consider whether his actions were in line with these requirements.”
The Labour Party declined the Herald’s request to interview Naidoo this morning, citing his transition from his role with police.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins this morning appeared certain Naidoo had sufficiently disclosed his intention to contest the election
“I’m very confident that the level of integrity that he is displayed through this process and I’ve certainly had no feedback from the police to the contrary.”
Hipkins described Naidoo as a “real catch” for Labour, given his “wealth of experience”.
“He’s got a, a depth of experience working with Māori, with the Pacific, working with the ethnic communities across the country where he’s got very deep connections.
“He has a lot of thoughts about how we can build an inclusive, safe, welcoming Aotearoa.”
Hipkins said Naidoo wouldn’t be joining Labour on the campaign trail immediately as he was in conversation with Chambers about how to transition from a politically neutral police employee to an election candidate.
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.