Police Minister’s electorate staff replied to McSkimming accuser’s emails
Staff in Police Minister Mark Mitchell’s electorate office responded to an email accusing former Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming of sexual abuse, months before Mitchell claims he first learned of the allegations.
It follows Mitchell repeatedly stating he and his ministerial staff were kept in the dark about the emails at the behest of former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster’s office.
In a statement, Mitchell said 17 of 36 emails sent to his ministerial office detailing allegations from a woman formerly in a relationship with McSkimming were also sent to Mitchell’s Whangaparāoa electorate office email.
The Herald understands a response was given by an office staffer, also Mitchell’s sister, in January 2024 to an email. The response stated the email related to Mitchell’s ministerial role and would be forwarded to his parliamentary office.
“The correct process was followed, with those emails forwarded to the ministerial inbox for actioning. Electorate Staff are not employed by Ministerial services and do not deal with Ministerial Correspondence,” Mitchell said in his statement this morning.
Some of the Brothers and Sisters online have taken this revelation to mean that Mark Mitchell knew about this scandal and was trying to cover for Coster.
I just don’t buy that.
Look, I’m no fan of Mark Mitchell, and I’m no fan of the National Party and I’m no fan of the NZ Police, but I think Mark has acted with dignity and mana here and I simply don’t buy that he was covering for Coster because he fucking loathed Coster.
The idea that he would cover for Coster just doesn’t ring true.
Mark cut his teeth on criticising Coster and sold himself as a counterweight to Coster’s ‘woke’ policing, the idea that he would cover up a scandal of Coster’s making is as likely as Bernie Sanders covering for Trump.
While Mitchell has certainly played the ‘few bad apples’ spin rather than a systemic problem within the Police, I believe he’s as horrified as the rest of us and isn’t covering for Coster.
Look.
I have been banging on for decades now that the IPCA simply does not have the investigative powers, the resources or the legislative structure to provide appropriate oversight of the NZ Police, (criticisms I might add that have been responded to as sacrilege and heresy for most of the time I have been making them), well after McSkimmings and all that has been revealed there, it seems like most rational people now see the enormous need for an Independent guard dog against Police corruption.
It’s not just a few rotten apples, it’s a system that allows a few rotten apples to get away with whatever they like.
That is the true issue here, trying to cover Mark Mitchell in shit is all fine and dandy, but doesn’t focus on the crux of the issue which is a Police Force that is a law unto themselves, and we have allowed that to occur because of our weird Police Authority worship.
I’m not buying Mark Mitchell covered for Coster
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I can believe that Mitchell was not covering for Coster although I also suspect that Mitchell would be economical with the truth if it helped preserve his own reputation. Like you say the real need is for a fully independent police complaints system as the present system is not working.
Why stop there, the rot is everywhere.
Aotearoa/NZ needs an independent anti-corruption commission – with teeth – like the Hong Kong ICAC. It’s mandate extends to the public and private sectors. Imagine that!
NSW has a version that covers public officials including politicians though it doesn’t extend to the police over there. We could take lessons from it though. It might not stop the rot but it does expose it – and its findings have been used to prosecute, seize assets, end political careers and in some cases, jail perpetrators. Again, imagine!
Bear and me, we like Our Police now, I hope.