In a statement on Wednesday night, Anderson said Naidoo, the police ethnic, iwi and communities national partnerships manager, was returning from pre-arranged leave – understood to return to work today – until the end of August.

Anderson said Naidoo’s “initial focus” would be establishing a handover to “make sure the team has a smooth transition and that it is well supported and well positioned to carry on the important work it undertakes”.

He would also be assisting police on a project intended to “embed cultural competency training across all aspects of service, victims and resolutions”.

“He remains a respected and valued member of police,” Anderson said of Naidoo.

“Until he takes leave, he will not be doing any active campaigning, and he will not be exercising any police powers, wearing police uniform or representing police at events and meetings with external stakeholders, including community members.”

Police Minister Mark Mitchell (right) expressed concern about the level of information Rakesh Naidoo had had access to.

In June, Chambers told the Herald that police would be investigating whether Naidoo shared sensitive information during the period when he was in talks with Labour.

That followed Mitchell expressing concern about the sensitive nature of information Naidoo had had access to through his role with police.

Chambers at the time said he wasn’t aware of reports from which he could confidently state Naidoo had “obtained and released information to the wrong external parties”, but couldn’t rule it out.

“It’s too early to say … a lot happens in two months.”

It’s understood the police review will include meetings Naidoo held, the information he had access to and whether it was shared with any third party, not just Labour.

On Tuesday morning, the Herald asked police multiple questions about the investigation, including its progress, whether it has concluded, what it has found, whether police have engaged Naidoo in their investigation and whether Mitchell had received updates.

Anderson’s statement did not address any of those questions.

Labour has maintained Naidoo would not campaign for the party until after he left the police.

Naidoo’s surprise appearance on Labour’s list soon caused a political stir when Mitchell, also National’s police spokesman, said it would have been “the respectful and right thing to do” for Naidoo to disclose his conversations with Labour when they began.

That was soon endorsed by Chambers, who told the Herald Naidoo should have disclosed it to police after he was first approached by Labour.

Given the nature of Naidoo’s role, Chambers then said it was “untenable” for Naidoo to remain.

Naidoo has thus far refused all requests to comment.

However, two race relations commissioners spoken to by the Herald soon jumped to Naidoo’s defence, one saying his integrity was beyond doubt and another suggesting Chambers and Mitchell had been “riding tandem” in their response to Naidoo’s candidacy.

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.