MEDIAWATCH: Police Commissioner has misled country over Trash Queen’s involvement in Netflix doco
The Police Commissioner Netflix documentary controversy just got worse — because what looked like questionable access now looks like something far more serious: undisclosed involvement from day one.
Unbelievable – The Police Commissioner has misled the country over Trash Queens involvement in Netflix doco…
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has revealed he was involved in the controversial Netflix Tom Phillips documentary from his first day in the top job.
Newly released emails also show that Chambers had a private meeting with the documentary makers, Dame Julie Christie and Karen Rutherford, in his office at the police HQ, in his first week in the role.
The emails, between Rutherford and Chambers, also reference Police Minister Mark Mitchell. He is described as a “friend” of Christie’s by Rutherford, who says they will be having their own meeting about the project.
Chambers’ day-one involvement in the project has remained undisclosed until now. Emails confirming it were omitted from a 300-page release of police documents last week – but he denies hiding anything.
…But he did hide it. That’s the problem.
This isn’t a mistake — it’s a pattern
It was omitted from the original documents – he’s been involved in this propaganda doco for Netflix since day one because the Trash Queen is besties with Mark Mitchell!!
Why were the Commissioner’s emails omitted from public release?
The doco has been controversial because of the exclusive access police have given Christie and her production company, Natural History NZ – and because of concerns about police using its contractual rights to influence the narrative.
Chambers said his email exchange with Rutherford should have been in the tranche of documents released last Thursday.
He blamed the omission on an unidentified police staffer.
…Oh, it was an unidentified police staffer who omitted the detail that the Police Commissioner has been secretly working with the Trash Queen???
Come on, admit it, if we weren’t going through the worst energy crisis ever, this would be front page news, people are literally too busy to take notice of this corruption.
Let’s be very clear about the timeline here — because this is where the story collapses:
- 20 November 2024: Chambers is publicly announced as police commissioner.
- 21 November 2024: Chambers receives an email from Rutherford which discusses the doco.
- 24 November 2024: Rutherford emails again to say she and Christie will be at the police HQ on November 28 to meet the police media team about the doco.
- 25 November 2024: Chambers’ official first day as Commissioner.
- 28 November 2024: Chambers meets Christie and Rutherford privately at the police HQ.
When the Police become the producers
That’s not an omission. That’s a narrative decision.
The NZ Police have a terrible record of shooting people in this country, anything that isn’t using that lens is promotional not critical.
Look how Rutherford tries to bully the cops…
The OIA also included messages between Clausen and Rutherford.
On 18 February 2025, Rutherford texted Clausen about a potential sighting of Phillips that had been reported.Clausen said there was “nothing to film”.
“We are needing to verify report which is looking like at the mo.”
Rutherford said it was a “real shame Juli”.
“The article indicates police have already been door knocking. So disappointing, we could have filmed. Please can we lock in a day to meet Andy, by the end of today? Netflix has already questioned why we weren’t told.”
In response, Clausen said “Karen – we don’t have a written agreement or obligation yet”.
“I think Netflix is your issue to manage at the moment. I will work really hard to make it up to u but I think we will need to set some really strong and clear lines to protect the investigation.”
…”Netflix has already questioned why we weren’t told”???
Are you fucking kidding, love?
Look.
There is a lot about this case that can’t be reported because of New Zealand Law.
So, can a Netflix release dodge New Zealand suppression orders?
Netflix is a global brand.
The question no one is asking about the Netflix Tom Phillips documentary is the obvious one: can a global release be squared with New Zealand suppression orders, or are we looking at one version for us and another for everyone else?
A New Zealand version that has those details omitted and a global version where she reveals it?
Who is she working for? The Police? Netflix? Fourth Estate journalism?
The unbelievable nature of those conversations open up enormous questions about all of this that can’t be glossed over.
The role of the Police in this doco is now untenable and there has to be a review of allowing this to go forward with so many conflicts of interest!
Time to get rid of the new Police Commissioner and the Police Minister he is a bestie of the dirty dame doing the doc, the CoC is corrupt and we need to show them the road at the next election. They also doing jobs for their mates all their mates need to be booted out of these prime high paying roles by the new incoming government. If the new government doesn’t get rid of the CoC mates in primo jobs they will have big knives in their backs and more leaks than Wellingtons ageing plumbing.
Aaah yes. It’s the Patrize Garden blog.
Jonzie who?
I’m sure we are all smart enough to see that there is ‘massive’ corruption within this CoC. This sets a precedent which in turn filters down to other govt departments e.g. our Police. So why is anyone surprised with the latest lies? “It was an unidentified police staffer” – really how convenient! This CoC lied before they were elected and the brain-dead sucked it up and voted accordingly, so they need to fix this mess before we become a ‘mini USA’. Heads should roll. The Tom Phillips’ saga was a tragedy. Are some of you so short of quality entertainment?