Police admit spreading incorrect info about Rakesh Naidoo disclosing Labour candidacy

Author: Adam Pearse,
Publish Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2026, 10:09am

Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo has received an apology from police. Photo / Supplied

Assistant Police Commissioner Tim Anderson is apologising for allowing incorrect information to be publicised about when Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo first disclosed he was considering becoming a Labour Party candidate.

Naidoo, police’s former ethnic, iwi and communities national partnerships manager, was revealed as a Labour candidate on June 8, ranked 13th on the party’s list.

The revelation prompted criticism from Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, who said he only learned Naidoo was considering standing as a candidate days earlier on June 4.

In addition to criticism from Police Minister Mark Mitchell, Chambers said Naidoo should have disclosed his considerations to either him or Anderson as his superior much earlier.

Naidoo has since lost his police powers, the ability to wear his uniform and is transitioning out of police after Chambers said it would be untenable for him to remain in his role. Naidoo is also under investigation after Mitchell and Chambers expressed concerns about sensitive information Naidoo might have shared during the period he was being courted by Labour.

Police have not provided updates about the investigation. Naidoo is expected to leave police this month.

The Herald earlier this month revealed an open letter, written to Mitchell, from a close associate of Naidoo who claimed Naidoo had disclosed his considerations to Anderson earlier than had been made public and claimed Naidoo had not been told his position was untenable.

Police have not responded to the letter.

Correspondence released under the Official Information Act to the Herald yesterday proved Naidoo had first discussed the matter with Anderson in the week commencing May 25.

“Superintendent Naidoo verbally advised AC Anderson he was considering standing as a candidate for the New Zealand Labour Party, although, at that stage, he had not decided to do so,” the document read.

On June 4, Naidoo told Anderson in person he would put his name forward for Labour’s list and would be attending a party meeting on June 6.

“Assistant Commissioner Anderson verbally briefed this information up to Commissioner Chambers by telephone at 3.21pm the same day.

“In a further verbal communication after his call to the Commissioner, AC Anderson spoke again briefly with Superintendent Naidoo.”

Assistant Police Commissioner Tim Anderson has apologised. Photo / Alyse Wright

On June 7, Naidoo confirmed to Anderson he had been selected as a list candidate and later that day affirmed he would be accepting it.

In a statement this morning, Anderson confirmed Naidoo had spoken to him a week before Anderson told Chambers, admitting that that led to “incorrect information” being given to media.

“At the time Superintendent Naidoo had not reached a decision on whether to stand and I therefore treated our conversation as a confidential discussion and did not inform the Commissioner of this conversation.

“In hindsight, it would have been helpful for me to have advised the Commissioner of Superintendent Naidoo’s first approach.

“I have apologised to both Superintendent Naidoo and Commissioner Chambers for the confusion, which has resulted in incorrect information being provided to media.”

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.