Police Commissioner Coster Resigns!

[Chief Stipe]

Image for representation© Getty

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster has resigned to take on the role of chief executive of the new Social Investment Agency.

His term at police was due to end in April next year, and he had already signalled he would not look to renew it.

Acting Public Service Commissioner Heather Baggott announced the new appointment on Tuesday - a dual role at both the Social Investment Agency and Secretary for Social Investment.

 

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Coster has been appointed for a five year term from 11 November.

Baggott said in a statement the role of secretary was the government's lead advisor for delivering social investment, and responsible for embedding the government's social investment approach, driving change in the delivery of social services, and influencing more effective expenditure and better outcomes for New Zealand's most vulnerable.

Coster was appointed police commissioner in 2020 - a five year term position, taking over from Mike Bush.

Before that he was acting deputy commissioner of police and had a previous role as deputy chief executive at the Ministry of Justice.

"He is a highly respected and impressive public service leader who has considerable experience delivering initiatives to address complex social issues," Baggott said.

National has had a turbulent relationship with the Commissioner - its former leader Simon Bridges called him a wokester - but the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wants to put that in the past.

 

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"I'm not Simon Bridges if you haven't noticed, I'm Chris Luxon - leader of the National Party and Prime Minister of New Zealand.

"The point is, he's done an exceptionally good job, go back and look at the record," Luxon told RNZ.

"Think about gang tangi and how that was a problem, think about the Commanchero's being taken out, think about the beat police going in, extra resources going into gangs.

"He's done an exceptional job," Luxon said.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell wouldn't answer any of RNZ's questions about whether Coster was moving on because of the relationship with the new government.

However, Housing Minister Chris Bishop told RNZ he didn't believe Coster was leaving the role early because the "writing was on the wall".