Mark Mitchell unsure if he killed anyone during siege amid Labour MP’s claim he was ‘paid to kill people’

Police Minister Mark Mitchell says he does not know whether he killed anyone during a siege while he was a private security contractor in Iraq, but says for the rest of his time in security in the Middle East he had not killed anyone.

Mitchell addressed the issue on Newstalk ZB in response to what he described as a “character assassination” by Labour MP Ginny Andersen on Wednesday morning.

Andersen, the former police minister, claimed Mitchell was “paid to kill people” and asked whether Mitchell had kept a tally of the number of people he’d shot.

Andersen has refused to be interviewed today, instead issuing a statement in which she didn’t apologise but acknowledged her comments “crossed a line”.

“I have spoken to Mark this morning to let him know that. Mark Mitchell and I have frequent robust conversations and I enjoy our debates,” she said.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins earlier accepted Andersen had gone too far in her comments but was reassured she had apologised.

“I would prefer we as politicians kept out of MPs’ own backgrounds ... I don’t intend to go trawling back through other people’s pasts and backgrounds.”

Mitchell, speaking to Newstalk ZB this afternoon, said he had received a text with an apology from Andersen but he didn’t think it was sufficient.

“I think if you’re going to apologise to someone, you should do it face-to-face.”

Mitchell has previously talked about one instance when he was forced to defend a compound from a siege conducted by local militia.

He said today it was the only time in about a decade working overseas when he’d used a weapon, but he was unsure whether he had killed anyone during the multi-day assault on the compound.

“We had to defend our position, there [were] casualties on both sides, I don’t know how many people were killed and I don’t know whether I was responsible for any of that.”

He referenced a point during the siege when those in the compound shot at a truck containing explosives, which was an attempt by the militia to breach the compound.

“We shot it into the engine block, we stopped the truck, we were defending the compound. Had the compound been overrun, which some of them were, then it’s highly likely no one would have survived.”

Mitchell said he had been “dogged” by questions from Labour about his work in the Middle East for 13 years and described Andersen’s comments as a “despicable, atrocious, personal attack”.

Earlier, Mitchell told journalists in Parliament he felt Andersen was being judged for her comments.

“I think the court of public opinion has probably spoken pretty loudly in relation to that,” he said. “I don’t want to talk about it today because it’s about Efeso [Collins] today, he just left two little girls behind and that is tough.”

Mitchell has previously defended the work he did in volatile countries after political opponents described him as a mercenary.

He spent about eight years in the Middle East, including doing hostage negotiation work and logistics.

Mitchell has said his work included tasks commissioned by the United Nations, such as freeing up supplies at ports controlled by criminal gangs so they could reach communities. He said he was proud of his efforts delivering aid in countries such as Pakistan, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Mark Mitchell speaks to at Parliament. Photo / Hagen Hopkins

In 2017, Mitchell told the Herald the label of mercenary frustrated him.

“I wouldn’t change anything I’ve done. I’m ... quietly proud, I’m not someone that shouts it from the rooftops — I’m a Kiwi after all. But I’m proud of the difference we made in people’s lives in terms of their security and ability to get on with their lives.”

He pointed to work he had done, such as opening mass graves with scientists from The Hague gathering evidence for the war crimes trial of Saddam Hussein.

“When you’re opening mass graves and you’re finding the remains of babies clinging to mums, it’s a pretty clear reminder of the atrocities which were taking place. That was a very, very tough job for everyone involved. Instead of questioning why we were there, all it does is provide more resolve in terms of knowing there had to be changes made.”

Mitchell has previously been asked whether he had killed people over that time, and has said in the scenarios he had faced physical confirmation was difficult.

“All I will say is I worked in conflict zones where there were times there was engagement, and there are always casualties on both sides.”

Mitchell has spoken about his time as a private security contractor, including when he and former UK MP and British Army officer Rory Stewart came under frequent attacks from insurgents in Iraq.

In 2019, he spoke about how their compound came under attack one night from “hundreds of pumped-up insurgents”.

“It felt like every terrorist in Iraq came for the party.

“He worked hard to get us air support. He monitored food, water and ammunition supplies and kept us updated,” Mitchell said of Stewart.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell believed Ginny Andersen's comments were outrageous. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Andersen: ‘Did you keep a tally on how many you shot?’

Mitchell and Anderson appeared on Newstalk ZB Wednesday morning for their usual politics slot and they began discussing how some police stations contained mould and how it was an issue ignored by successive governments.

They then discussed Grant Robertson’s retirement before host Mike Hosking asked both Andersen and Mitchell what they had done before entering politics.

Mitchell referenced his time working in hospitality, as a police officer and working overseas.

Andersen then made a remark about the nature of the work Mitchell had done overseas that led to her claim Mitchell had been “paid to kill people”.

Mitchell also noted how politicians on the left had repeatedly attacked him for his past.

“In my view, [the left] try to do these character assassinations, and that’s what they’re about.”

Andersen continued, asking Mitchell: “Did you keep a tally on how many [people] you shot?”

She alleged Mitchell’s company had earned $4 million a year through its work overseas.

Mitchell said the comments were outrageous and she should return and apologise.

“If that’s alright with you, Mark, morally, and if that sits well with you, that’s your choice,” Andersen said.

She claimed Mitchell had profited from shooting people, saying: “Free speech, Mark. I’m allowed to have a view.”

Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.