Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Police Commissioner Andrew Coster's appointment as the head of the Government’s Social Investment Agency. Video / Mark Mitchell
Police Minister Mark Mitchell says he doesn’t regret his past criticisms of Police Commissioner Andrew Coster, who is leaving police to become the Social Investment Agency chief executive.
Coster, who will step down as commissioner on November 8, said today’s announcement came with a “mix of emotions” but was excited to lead the Government’s efforts to prevent people from entering the criminal justice system.
When in Opposition, 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”.
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”, including an expectation for Coster to overcome challenges with law and order and address Mitchell’s concern about a decline in public confidence.
Mitchell today said he didn’t regret his criticism, saying that was the “job of Opposition”.
“[Coster] was working under a Labour Government that had very poor policy settings which meant that we were getting very poor outcomes and going backwards in terms of public safety so no, not at all.”
He accepted he hadn’t approved of Coster’s policing by consent approach but was confident Coster had worked to achieve the Government’s targets and historical criticism wouldn’t disrupt relationships with National MPs going forward.
Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis said she was delighted to appoint Coster to lead her agency, saying she had seen his “passion for these issues”.
“Andy has seen firsthand the role of the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff that the Government too often has to play in the lives of New Zealanders.
“Now, as the chief executive of the Social Investment Agency, he will be working with our Government to build fences at the top of the cliff.”
In 2023, Act leader David Seymour dubbed Coster “Commissioner Gaslight” over his response to concerns from East Coast communities about crime levels following Cyclone Gabrielle.
Seymour today stood by his comments and thought it had been a fair response to what he considered “inappropriate” behaviour.
Act leader David Seymour was critical of Coster's comments about crime during Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Mark Mitchell
He dismissed questions asking if it would impact his future working relationship with Coster.
“Ultimately, we’ve got to be big boys and work on which actions are functional rather than having prejudices against people.”
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.
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.
