Police Commissioner Andrew Coster: 'Mix of emotions' as new job ...

It will mean a change to a smaller agency for Coster after leading NZ Police since April 2020. However, the new position is also considered influential because of its importance to the Government and to Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis.

Coster said the news came with “a mix of emotions.” He had been looking forward to seeing through a number of initiatives, such as the implementation of the new gang legislation, before the end of his term but that work would continue to be done by the executive team.

“My focus for the next few weeks will be to ensure I leave the organisation in as strong a position as possible.”

He said his new role was an “exciting” opportunity.

“My service in New Zealand Police will strongly inform how I am able to approach this new opportunity.

“Whilst it might seem like a big shift, from running one of our largest operational agencies to heading up a small central agency, there is an important consistency from my perspective - the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of New Zealanders.”

He said he was proud to have been part of the Police for nearly 28 years and would be “forever grateful” for the opportunities given to him in “an incredibly rewarding and satisfying career.”

“I am incredibly proud of this fantastic organisation not least because of the outstanding commitment from all staff who work so hard for their communities. I have had the opportunity to work alongside some amazing people, who are doing outstanding work for our country.”

Coster was appointed as Police Commissioner under former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in 2020 and went through a series of police ministers under the previous Labour government – including Poto Williams, Chris Hipkins, Stuart Nash and Ginny Andersen.

However, Coster came in for criticism from National when it was in Opposition and pushing Labour hard on law and order.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon threw his support behind Coster this morning, saying he had done an “exceptionally good job” as Police Commissioner and was “uniquely qualified” to lead the Social Investment Agency.

Asked about Coster’s record as Police Commissioner, Luxon pointed to the recent charges filed by police against almost all Comanchero gang members, Coster’s approach to policing gang tangi and the targeting of boy racers.

“[Coster] is someone that we really value and really respect ... he’s done a really good job.”

In 2021, then-National justice spokesman Simon Bridges criticised Coster as a “wokester” in relation to his approach to gang and gun violence occurring at the time. The current Police Minister Mark Mitchell had also been critical of Coster while in Opposition.

Today, Luxon defended Coster and said he disagreed with Bridges’ assessment: “I don’t care, I’m the leader of the National Party.”

Luxon believed Coster would be an “outstanding” leader of the Social Investment Agency, noting Coster’s work with both police and justice as well as his involvement with the Government’s public sector targets.

“He is uniquely placed to take on this work, working with Nicola Willis around how we get the Social Investment Agency working.”

After news of his appointment, Mitchell said he congratulated and thanked Coster for his service to Police.

“I have worked with Andy Coster over a number of years, and I look forward to working with him in this critically important role.He has served with integrity, and with his background and experience I know he will do an outstanding job leading the Social Investment Agency.”

Labour MP and former head of the Police Association Greg O’Connor said Coster was “a very competent guy.”

“I know him (...) and he came under a lot of political pressure at a time when police has probably been politicised over recent years more than it has been for some time, if ever.

“I think history will be quite kind to Coster.”

When in Opposition, Police Minister Mark Mitchell had been an open critic of the policing by consent approach Coster championed and once likened it to having “cups of tea with gang members”.

Ahead of the election, Mitchell had said it was clear they had different views on it. “It has resulted in confused messaging to the public and frontline police and created a permissive environment for gangs, violence and retail crime to rapidly grow.”

After the change of government, Mitchell delayed before he would publicly express confidence in Coster.

He eventually did so after releasing a letter of expectations for the Police Commissioner.

That letter set out the new government’s policies, Mitchell’s expectation that police use the powers they were given, targeted youth crime and focused on “core policing”.

It also included an expectation around Coster’s leadership to overcome challenges with law and order and address Mitchell’s concern about a decline in public confidence.

“Our New Zealand Police organisation and frontline staff are working in a far more complex, demanding and dangerous environment that requires focused, strong and supportive leadership. My expectation is for that leadership to be evident.”

Coster and Mitchell have since fronted together regularly, announcing measures such as new gang units and a boost in the numbers of police on the beat. Coster’s tenure as Police Commissioner has included Covid-19, when police were expected to maintain lockdown rules, the Parliamentary protests in 2022. Coster has said the operation on the final day of that protest was one of the days he was proudest of the police.

He recently fronted on the police operations into the Comancheros gang.

The Social Investment Agency:

Acting Public Service Commissioner Heather Baggott said Coster was a proven leader with a “pragmatic, realistic and delivery-focused approach to achieving change”.

“He is a highly respected and impressive public service leader who has considerable experience delivering initiatives to address complex social issues.”

Coster has experience coordinating with a range of government agencies, especially during Covid-19, and has focused on the importance of early intervention measures when it came to crime.

Willis has set the Social Investment Agency up as a core agency and is appointing a new social investment board to advise the Government. The agency will have $12 million a year in a fund to buy services from community groups, iwi and NGOs from 2025.

The Social Investment Agency is charged with working across government departments and using data and evidence to try to intervene early in to break cycles of dependence, inter-generational poverty and disadvantage. It is also charged with ensuring that the $70 billion of government spending on social services is getting the desired results and ensuring a focus on the government’s public service targets.

Claire Trevett is the NZ Herald’s political editor. She started her journalism career at the Northern Advocate in 2001 and has been at the NZ Herald since 2003. She joined the Press Gallery team at Parliament in 2007 and is a life member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery.