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Duncan Garner: Top cops failed themselves - and us

Duncan Garner
Opinion by
Duncan Garner is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster who now hosts the Editor in Chief live podcast.
Jevon McSkimming, left, and Andrew Coster were, respectively, deputy commissioner and commissioner of New Zealand Police. Now, Coster is on leave from his role heading the Social Investment Agency and McSkimming has been exposed for accessing child sexual-exploitation porn on his work devices. Allegations have also emerged of sexual offending by McSkimming, with his colleagues, including Coster, apparently closing ranks to protect him and resorting to the “woman scorned/she’s unstable” defence. Photo / Getty Images
Jevon McSkimming, left, and Andrew Coster were, respectively, deputy commissioner and commissioner of New Zealand Police. Now, Coster is on leave from his role heading the Social Investment Agency and McSkimming has been exposed for accessing child sexual-exploitation porn on his work devices. Allegations have also emerged of sexual offending by McSkimming, with his colleagues, including Coster, apparently closing ranks to protect him and resorting to the “woman scorned/she’s unstable” defence. Photo / Getty Images

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As a much younger journalist, I cut my teeth chasing politicians around Parliament. I loved it; I’m not entirely sure they did though, given the language and gestures you’d get once the camera was off.

There were a few rotten apples, not many, but enough had something to hide to make it interesting and the ones that came unstuck were usually arrogant, entitled and tone deaf to the situations they found themselves in. They also considered themselves above the law and untouchable.

Big mistake. We investigated, we did the stories, and they usually ended up leaving Parliament, never to be seen again. They disappeared and so did their public reputations. Around the same time, I walked into Jim Anderton’s Beehive office and saw a piece of art on his wall by the door that read, “It takes a lifetime to build a reputation but a second to lose it.” That has stayed with me.

In other words, always do the right thing, don’t be a creep, a drunk, a pervert. Use wise judgement and do the front-page test: what would this look like if it ended up on the front page?

On two fronts this week, those messages came flooding back to me.

First, I put my name forward for the Mt Albert Grammar School board of trustees to be voted on by parents. I came out on top with 371 votes, so I’m now a MAGS Board of Trustees member and have become acutely aware that, for the first time, people voted for me and expect me to deliver what I said I would.

I feel a huge responsibility has landed on my lap and now, more than anyone, I have to follow rules and procedures. I acknowledge that hasn’t always been my strong point. I can expect plenty of heat if I do this badly. There are more eyes on me and it’s a position that carries a level of influence, so don’t abuse that.

We had our first meeting this week. A six-hour Wednesday night marathon where we decided the strategy of the school for the next three years. I hate meetings that last longer than 20 minutes, so imagine me after six hours…

I confess, after three hours I was gently suggesting we wrap things up and I did have some support, but that’s not the way it goes. By 9pm we had agreed on a 10-point plan, heavily focused on coping with the growth in student numbers. That’s a huge issue for our school, and many others.