“I continue to hope Mr McSkimming will do the right thing.”
In Chambers’ letter, obtained by RNZ under the Official Information Act, he referred to the IPCA’s report in relation to his “overnight stays in Wellington hotels with Ms Z”.
“You have confirmed that eight-10 times you stayed with Ms Z in Wellington hotels at the expense of police, but ultimately the taxpayer. The IPCA made an adverse finding in this respect.
“It is appropriate for you to reimburse police for these eight-10 hotel stays, and you are asked to reimburse police as soon as possible. You have knowledge of the hotels in which you stayed and the approximate cost at the time.”
Chambers said he welcomed McSkimming’s response and “swift reimbursement”.
The hotel stays
The IPCA had not been able to review McSkimming’s credit card expenditure, and relied on the evidence of the complainant, McSkimming, his former executive assistant and one of his supervisors at the time.
“In 2016 and 2017, Mr McSkimming’s workplace was at Police National Headquarters in Wellington. He lived about 60-70km away.”
McSkimming and his executive assistant at the time told the IPCA that he was regularly required to attend functions or late meetings in Wellington or catch early morning flights.
“On those occasions, his executive assistant would book accommodation at a Wellington hotel, paid for by police. The rationale for these bookings was explained to us as being to avoid a long drive home after a work event, or where he was required to attend a social function to ensure he was not having a drink and then driving.”
McSkimming told the IPCA he thought Ms Z stayed with him eight to 10 times.
“This is corroborated by Ms Z. Mr McSkimming breached policy by not informing his senior manager approving the travel that she would be staying with him. If he had done so, we consider it highly likely that approval would have been declined.
“In any case, whether or not he informed his manager, he breached the Police Code of Conduct by staying in hotels at Police expense and inviting the woman with whom he was having a sexual relationship to join him. If he had paid for the hotels himself, that would have been a different matter. However, the fact that the hotels were paid for by police gives rise to the perception that he was using taxpayer money to further a clandestine affair, thus bringing police into disrepute.”