Barry Soper: Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent on Jevon McSkimming pleading guilty to possessing objectionable material

Ex-top cop Jevon McSkimming's admitted to having child exploitation and bestiality images on work devices.

The former Deputy Police Commissioner's pleaded guilty to three representative charges of possessing objectionable material in Wellington District Court this afternoon. 

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacked today's verdict.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Barry Sober, Senior political correspondence with.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
US Hallo Barry, Good afternoon, Heaven.

Speaker 1 (00:03):
J mcskimming is pleaded guilty.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Well, isn't it incredible? I can't remember a top policeman
like this ever being charged. And it'll see no doubt
the Minister of Police wiping his brow Mark Mitchell because
he came so close to being the Commissioner of Police.
It's recommended by Mark to the Prime Minister. The Prime

(00:25):
Minister then refers it up to the Governor General and
the appointment is made for five years. And you just
imagine if they'd made a different choice and jevn mcskimming
would now be the Commissioner of Police or would have been.
So the government escaped the bullet there, there's no doubt
about that. And I've got to say if you look
at the statement from the Commissioner of Police Richard Chambers,

(00:49):
very strong. Indeed, he said his behavior was disgraceful and
it's right that he has been held to account for it.
He said it's not only criminal, it goes against the
core values of the police and really it has dented
the police. This just disgraceful. So I understand you're going

(01:09):
to be talked to, talking to Mark Mitchell and he'll
have more disailer.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah, now, did this some business with the school boards
and the Treaty of Whitehanguy blow up in Parliament?

Speaker 2 (01:17):
Well, not really blew up, but certainly it showed how
passionate the Minister of Education, Erica Stanford is about it.
The government's of course, removing the requirement for schools to
give effect to the Treaty of waitang the other boards
with the government saying the crown its responsibility is the
Treaty of Waitangi and it shouldn't be volunteer boards of schools.

(01:41):
And you can understand that the Education Minister was asked
to justify the removal of the treaty requirement by the
school boards. The questions were being fired by the troubled
Maldi party's co leader Debi no Riwa Packer, sitting whispering
to each other behind her. Directly behind her where the
party's troublesome MPs Marimino Carpakini and Takuta Ferris. Eric Is Stanford,

(02:08):
though she was charged as she answered the questions. Here
she is.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
Achievement data or Tamardiki. Mardi has been declining for decades.
The gap is yawning. And if we want to talk
about a treaty breach, that is it. The evidence that
I have is it only ten percent of Marty's students
are at curriculum for mathematics by the time they go
to high school, seventy eight percent, more than a year behind.

Speaker 4 (02:28):
What message does the minister think this sends to Tomata
Ki Mardi's sitting in classrooms today that their language, their
culture and identity no longer belong in the system meant
to uplift them.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
What it sends is the signal that we take our
core crown responsibility for upholding the Treaty very seriously when
it comes to raising achievement for Marti's students, and we
are the first government in a very long time to
see any of those results turn around.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
And you don't often hear a minister's reply being applauded,
but she certainly much longer than I played you then.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
Yeah, interesting from debing Yard. So Mike Davidson has made
in speech this is the new bossy.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, well he's the replacement for the non binary Benjamin Doyle.
Mike Davison made has made in speech Davidson, as far
as I know, is thankfully he hymn, which is a
great relief to me. But he says the major problems

(03:32):
facing the country is climate change, and he's advocating public transport,
bikes and electric cars, and he says he's going to
be keeping the blow torch on the government.

Speaker 5 (03:46):
I stand in this house today concerned for our future.
Our communities are struggling, and the environment is under attack,
and politics across the globe and here in New Zealand
is becoming more confrontational and toxic. We are failing out, Tamareki.
But while I'm concerned, there is hope. Over the next
twelve months, I will work with my Green colleagues to
hold this government to accounts, to challenge them, and to

(04:09):
show that people of al Tierrale what a government with
a greenheart will offer our country, a country that upholds
the Titi old white hangy, that takes real action on
climate change and lifts people out of poverty.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
There you go, That's what the Greens are offering is
so go out and vote next year because they'll be
part of the coalition. Government of Labour has anything to
do with it. You, But it is true isn't it.
What I'm saying is unless Labour can win in its
own role.

Speaker 1 (04:38):
I'm still on your complete inability to just handle different pronouns.
I am glad Bushy's gone to glad Bussy's gone. So
that the BSA complains about you and your inability to
do it.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
End well, the BSA should end. That's what I thought.

Speaker 1 (04:55):
Okay, very so for senior political correspondent.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
Thanks very much for more from Hither du Drive. Listen
live to News Talks it B from four pm weekdays,
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