One Cover-Up At A Time: Lobby For Good Calls For Urgent Accountability In Wake Of Police Scandal

Wednesday, 12 November 2025, 7:30 pm
Press Release: Lobby for Good

Lobby for Good is calling for immediate, independent action after the Jevon McSkimming case revealed a culture of silence and protection at the highest levels of New Zealand Police.

McSkimming, a former Assistant Commissioner, pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation and bestiality material. But it is the police leadership’s response that has shocked the public and raised serious concerns.

“Police didn’t investigate the man with child exploitation material. They arrested the woman who tried to expose him,” said Erika Harvey Director of Public Affairs at Lobby for Good. “That’s not a process failure, that’s a culture designed to protect itself.”

Internal documents and the IPCA report show senior leaders were aware of allegations for months, and in some cases years, before taking action. Complaints were buried, internal investigators sidelined, and whistleblowers treated as problems.

Lobby for Good says this isn’t an isolated case, and it’s not just a police issue.

“We’ve seen the same thing happen here in Tauranga. Whistleblowers pushed out. Complaints buried. The same silence. The same protection of insiders,” Harvey said.

Lobby for Good is calling for:

• A truly independent investigation into Police leadership’s handling of the McSkimming case - with full public reporting and no influence from those under scrutiny
• Stronger legal protections for whistleblowers across all public institutions - backed by law, not left to internal policies
• Mandatory public reporting of complaints and investigations across central and local government - so cover-ups are harder to hide
• Real consequences for those who failed to act, including demotions, dismissals, and removal from public office where misconduct is proven

“How many times have we heard promises of accountability, only to watch nothing change? The public is tired of words. It’s the lack of action that breaks trust,” said Harvey.

Lobby for Good says local government has been left largely unaccountable for too long, and it's time to rethink how oversight works.

“Local councils are a law unto themselves. We’ve seen misrepresentation, backroom deals, and legal advice that shifts depending on who’s asking. Ordinary people get shut out. Those with power and money get listened to.”

Lobby for Good is proposing the creation of a permanently independent integrity body, one that is not controlled or funded by central government, but by the public. This kind of model would ensure:

• Investigators are not tied to government departments
• Funding that doesn't rely on political will or budget cycles
• Oversight powers that apply to police, councils, and crown-funded agencies
• Regular public reporting, open to scrutiny

“We can’t ask people to pay twice - once through taxes, again through donations. That’s why the system itself needs to change. Independent oversight should be built into the way public institutions operate, not treated as optional or after-the-fact.”

“This case is a clear reminder: when people inside the system protect themselves instead of the public, it’s not just one person failing, it’s the whole structure. And it needs rebuilding.”

Lobby for Good is urging the public to demand action, not just answers.

“Everyone in a public role whether you’re in uniform, elected to office, or publicly funded - works for the people. Not the boys’ club. If that’s not clear yet, this case should make it so.”

© Scoop Media