Police Minister Mark Mitchell (left) remains unable to declare his confidence in Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. Photo / Alex Burton
Police Minister Mark Mitchell (left) remains unable to declare his confidence in Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. Photo / Alex Burton
Police Minister Mark Mitchell is continuing to avoid declaring his confidence in Police Commissioner Andrew Coster, but says conversations between the pair are “very positive”.
It comes after Coster last week told the Herald he believed he had Mitchell’s confidence in the role and had not offered to resign when he met with Mitchell for more than an hour last week.
The police commissioner is appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Coster’s term ends in April 2025.
Mitchell said talks he’d had with Coster had been “very positive” but wouldn’t elaborate.
“[Coster is] becoming very clear around my expectations in terms of what we want to do with our policies, with the legislation that we’re bringing in.
“Very positive conversations, but I’m not going to say anything more than that at the moment.”
Mitchell was a strong critic of Coster’s while in Opposition, largely concerning the style of policing he encouraged.
“That is what we’re working through and yes, I was very public about saying that I felt that we had gone in completely the wrong direction and the focus wasn’t on keeping law-abiding Kiwis safe.”
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster has stated he believes the new Police Minister has confidence in him. Photo / NZME
Asked if this made the pair’s relationship unworkable, Mitchell claimed he had a “very good working relationship” with Coster after they interacted through Mitchell’s role as Associate Justice Minister.
“I admire him, he’s a man of integrity, he’s very smart, he’s been an outstanding public servant.
“It’s quite simply a matter of, yes, we were very critical when we were in Opposition because we felt like the Labour Government had taken this country in the wrong direction and now we’re talking to ensure that I am confident that actually he can roll out and implement what we want as a government, as simple as that.”
Mitchell was asked whether he had confidence in Coster but he did not respond.
Asked last week if he was confident he had Mitchell’s confidence, Coster said: “Yes I am.”
He did not say whether Mitchell had told him that directly. “I am confident that he is confident in my ability to do this job.”
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.
