Naidoo told police manager of Labour candidacy two weeks before confirmation, OIA documents show

Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo first told his police manager he was considering standing as a Labour Party candidate about two weeks before he was confirmed as a list-only candidate, according to information released under the Official Information Act RNZ.

Naidoo was confirmed on 8 June as a list-only Labour candidate ranked 13th, a position that almost guarantees him a seat in Parliament. He is an ethnic, iwi and communities relationships manager for police and has been with New Zealand Police for 21 years RNZ.

The first conversation between Naidoo and his manager, Assistant Commissioner Tim Anderson, about his candidacy took place in the week commencing 25 May. On Thursday 28 May, Naidoo provided Anderson with printed copies of police policies, Public Service Commission guidelines and extracts from the Electoral Act 1993 relevant to standing for elected office.

In the early afternoon of 4 June, Naidoo told Anderson in person that he was putting his name forward for the Labour Party's list and would attend a Labour Party Moderating Meeting on 6 June. Anderson then verbally briefed Police Commissioner Richard Chambers by telephone at 3:21pm that same day.

At about 1:20pm on 7 June, Naidoo contacted Anderson to say he had been selected for a place on the Labour Party's list and would decide that day whether to accept it. At about 5:30pm on 7 June, Naidoo met Anderson in person and confirmed he would accept the list placement.

Naidoo subsequently sent Anderson an email titled 'New Zealand General Election 2026' in which he said he was standing for Labour as a list candidate and that his candidacy would be announced the following day. In the email, Naidoo said he intended to continue serving in police in an apolitical manner until 30 September 2026, following police, electoral and public service guidelines during that period. He planned to take leave on 30 September, before nomination day on 8 October, with election day on 7 November. Naidoo said that if successful in the election he would officially retire or resign on 27 November, the date official results are announced. If unsuccessful, he would resume duties on the first working day after polling day or at a mutually agreed time with police.

The police manual required someone of Naidoo's rank to inform the police commissioner of his political intentions. However, police chief assurance officer Mike Webb told RNZ there was no correspondence between Naidoo and Commissioner Chambers. RNZ had requested under the Official Information Act all correspondence between Naidoo and Chambers and anyone else in police regarding his intention and decision to stand for Labour. Police supplied the requested information on a Wednesday RNZ.

Chambers said Naidoo's role in police was now untenable and that Naidoo should have told him earlier of his political intentions. A review is under way into the period during which Naidoo was engaging with the Labour Party. Naidoo is currently on leave from the police RNZ.

The case drew political attention in June. Labour leader Chris Hipkins accused Commissioner Chambers of not being a good employer over his comments about Naidoo RNZ. Ethnic communities publicly backed Naidoo as a Labour candidate RNZ. Police Minister Mark Mitchell hit out at what he described as character attacks over Naidoo's candidacy RNZ.

The broader context here is the tension between the police manual's requirement that a senior officer go directly to the commissioner with political intentions and the operational reality of how that information was conveyed. Naidoo spoke with his direct manager, Anderson, roughly two weeks before his candidacy was confirmed. Anderson then briefed Chambers by telephone on 4 June, the same day Naidoo formally told Anderson he was putting his name forward. The OIA release confirms there was no written correspondence between Naidoo and Chambers himself.

That gap between the manual's expectation and what occurred is central to Chambers' assessment that Naidoo's position is untenable. The ongoing review into the period of Naidoo's engagement with the Labour Party will likely examine whether the information pathway through Anderson was sufficient to meet the manual's intent, or whether the requirement for direct notification to the commissioner was breached in substance if not in spirit.

For those working in and around the Beehive, the case also touches on the broader conventions around public servants entering political life. Naidoo's email set out a detailed plan to remain in his police role in an apolitical capacity until 30 September, take leave before nomination day, and either resign or resume duties depending on the election outcome. Whether that plan would have been viable had the notification issue not arisen is now moot. The review and Naidoo's current leave status indicate the matter is far from resolved, and the outcome of the review may have implications for how police manage similar situations in the lead-up to the November election.