Judith Collins and Richard Chambers answer media questions after former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster was placed on leave following a damning report.
Former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster is on leave from his new role as the chief executive of the Social Investment Agency.
It follows a damning Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report into the way police handled complaints against former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.
Public Service Minister Judith Collinsannounced that the Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche, Coster’s employer, agreed the leave with Coster.
Roche is now beginning his own employment process with Coster after the report.
It would appear ministers have little confidence in Coster, with a troika of senior ministers offering damning verdicts of his time at police when questioned on Tuesday.
Former Police Commissioner and now Social Investment Agency chief executive Andrew Coster. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Collins said that had a report made similar findings about her own leadership, she would be “ashamed” of herself.
The minister in charge of the agency, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis, said she read the report on Sunday and was “shocked and appalled by its findings”.
“I have conveyed my views to Public Service Commissioner Brian Roche. The matter now sits with him as Mr Coster’s employer,” she said.
Collins, along with Police Minister Mark Mitchell and new Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, fronted media on Tuesday evening after suppression lapsed on damning details on how police botched whistleblower complaints against McSkimming.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has released a damning report into the way police handled complaints against former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Mitchell echoed Collins’ criticism, saying Coster “should be held to account” for what had been uncovered.
The lifting of suppression was accompanied by the release of a report from the IPCA that found the highest levels of police ignored complaints against McSkimming.
The allegations were made by a woman, with whom McSkimming had an affair, over a number of years.
McSkimming maintained the sexual relationship was consensual and the email allegations were motivated by revenge to destroy his career.
Senior police did not investigate the allegations, which continued as McSkimming sought the role of Police Commissioner, the most senior role at police. The IPCA report noted the former police executive prioritised McSkimming’s ambitions in the force above investigating the complaints.
The young complainant was never contacted, or asked whether she wanted to make a formal complaint. Instead, McSkimming lodged a complaint under the Harmful Digital Communications Act against the woman and she was arrested in July 2024.
Chambers said the report was “thorough and convincing” and set out “troubling departures” from proper protocols for investigating complaints.
“There was interference from the highest levels,” Chambers said.
He said what the report revealed had “angered him” and shown a failure of leadership.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers says what the IPCA report revealed had "angered him". Photo / Mike Scott
Labour leader Chris Hipkins was briefed on the report on Tuesday morning.
He said the failings of police were “inexcusable” and “a complete failure of duty”.
The Government has announced changes to create an Inspector-General of Police along the lines of the Inspector-General of Defence to provide greater accountability. Hipkins said Labour would support those changes.
Much of the period covered in the IPCA report covered the period of the last Labour Government.
“Nothing was ever raised about any of this during my time as Police Minister or Prime Minister, or during the vetting process for the Deputy Commissioner role, and if it had he would never have been appointed and further action would have been taken,” Hipkins said.
