Police have confirmed Rakesh Naidoo is not under investigation, Labour says
(From right) Police minister Mark Mitchell and Labour Party's MP candidate Rakesh Naidoo.
"The police need to front up here and explain what is going on."
Labour says police have confirmed that top cop candidate Rakesh Naidoo is not under investigation.
However, police minister Mark Mitchell says it's an "ongoing matter for police and it would be inappropriate for me to comment".
It comes after Mitchell said last month there was an "ongoing matter" in relation to Naidoo, but would not say what it was.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said in response at the time he had "absolute confidence in Rakesh Naidoo".
"He has behaved with absolute integrity throughout this process."
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Hipkins said Mitchell "should not be using his position as minister of police to make unsubstantiated insinuations against the character of a rival political candidate".
"Neither Mr Naidoo nor the Labour Party have any idea what is actually being alleged.
"The police need to front up here and explain what is going on."
This week, a Labour spokesperson told RNZ that they had spoken to police and could confirm Naidoo "is not under investigation".
"Rakesh has handled himself with dignity and integrity over the past few months and is focused on campaigning for Labour."
On Friday, Mitchell told RNZ it was an "ongoing matter for police…"
"As I have previously said, this does not relate to the Labour Party, and they should not be commenting on matters that do not involve them."
Asked for comment, a spokesperson said "police do not comment on employment matters".
Naidoo's candidacy - announced in June - prompted public criticism from police commissioner Richard Chambers and minister Mark Mitchell, both claiming the superintendent should have declared his intentions earlier.
An internal review later concluded that Naidoo had complied with police policy, though noted it would have been "prudent" for him to have given his superiors more advance warning.
In response to media questions last month Mitchell said there were "two or three different facets to this situation".
"And they have dealt with one of them."
After the review's findings were announced, Mitchell confirmed to RNZ he had two phone calls with Chambers on 8 and 9 June.
"[The calls] were to discuss the situation, including the response to media queries, concerns the minister held in relation to the disclosure timeline, including pre-existing concerns regarding a sensitive briefing Mr Naidoo had attended with the minister prior to Mr Naidoo advising anyone at police of his political intentions."
Mitchell declined to release information in relation to the sensitive briefing under section 6 (c) of the Official Information Act.
Section 6 (c) relates to prejudicing the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences, and the right to a fair trial.
Mitchell's office earlier told RNZ the grounds for withholding under Section 6c of the OIA still applied.
Mitchell referred to the OIA again last month nd said "the OIA is very clear it says there's matters that can't be disclosed because there's an ongoing matter".
He said he was unable to comment further.
In response, Hipkins said Mitchell had "crossed a line here".
"He is the minister of police, and he is using that office to spread claims about a Labour candidate who doesn't even know what the specific accusation against him is. You cannot use the power of the police portfolio to invent allegations against political opponents.Sam Sherwood of RNZ
"Mark Mitchell should be ashamed of himself. Mark Mitchell should not be commenting, directing or be privy to police employment matters."
(This story was first published on rnz.co.nz)
