Watch: PM to field questions on Police Commissioner allegations in press conference

Author: Adam Pearse,
Publish Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026, 3:56pm

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is set to face questions about allegations related to Police Commissioner Richard Chambers as he fronts his post-Cabinet press conference.

The Herald last week revealed two police officers from the Police National Integrity Unit had flown to Australia to interview a woman over historical sexual allegations against Chambers.

It followed another separate complaint, which RNZ reported was believed to have been made by a former police staffer.

Chambers said in a statement that he strongly rejected the claims against him.

“I have been advised the [Independent Police Conduct Authority] and police are investigating complaints against me. I strongly reject the claims that have been made.

“I will co-operate fully with the investigation and look forward to having this matter dealt with. I acknowledge the public interest in this, but it is important the investigation takes its course. I cannot make further comment at this point.”

Luxon has not yet spoken publicly about the allegations. A livestream of his 4pm press conference will be played at the top of this article.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell said last week he still had confidence in Chambers.

“I think he’s an outstanding Police Commissioner, he’s doing a very good job for us. Police officers attract complaints. We have the IPCA – that is the right place for that to go and they’ll deal with it.”

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers rejects the allegations. Photo / Cameron Pitney

An Official Information Act request provided to the Herald by Mitchell’s office said Mitchell received one complaint about Chambers on November 21 last year, and a second separate complaint on February 1 this year.

Both were referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) and the NIU.

The Public Service Commission has confirmed it had not deemed it necessary for Chambers to stand down from his role while the complaints were investigated.

It followed the scandal involving former deputy police commissioner Jevon McSkimming, who resigned after child sexual exploitation and bestiality material was found on his work devices.

An IPCA report then found significant failings in police’s handling of other allegations made against McSkimming, which implicated former police commissioner Andrew Coster.

After the IPCA report was released, Chambers was highly critical of his predecessors, including Coster.

“It’s an absolute disgrace. It’s lacking in leadership, it’s lacking integrity. You know, so he’s [Coster] going to need to answer to that,” Chambers said in November while responding to the IPCA’s findings.

Chambers said the way some previous police leaders acted amounted to a “cover-up”.

He subsequently faced criticism from former Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura, who told the Herald that Chambers “white knighted himself” and acted “holier than thou” while throwing her and other former leaders under the bus.

In April, the Public Service Commissioner published a performance review of police, which said rebuilding integrity was a “mission-critical” challenge for police.

That report – ordered by Chambers after the McSkimming controversy – found an “integrity reset is urgently needed” with a perceived culture that holds seniors to a “lesser standard than juniors”, and that there are issues with “tribalism”, particularly at the executive level.

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.