He’ll oversee a multimillion-dollar fund advising the Government on commissioning services for vulnerable people.
Coster sees his role as building a fence at the top of the cliff, describing a lot of policing as the “ambulance at the bottom of the cliff of social failure”.
As a new era in policing unfolds under the watchful eye of a new commissioner, the country’s former top cop is relishing a chance to try to stop people ever embarking on a life of crime.
He sees the role as much more than a so-called ambulance at the top of the cliff.
“I don’t think it’s the ambulance, I think it’s the fence. Police spends a lot of its time at the bottom of the cliff of social failure. Social investment is about trying to get the settings right in order to avoid the need for that,” Coster said.
Social Investment Agency chief executive Andrew Coster at a social investment hui in Lower Hutt earlier this month. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The Secretary for Social Investment will work with a fund worth millions of dollars, advising the Government on commissioning services for vulnerable people.
On his first few days in the new job, Coster said he’d spoken to a whole range of people with a view on the social investment approach.
“That’s really my focus in the early stages - understanding the breadth of what we have under way and then I’ll be focused on what we need to do.”
The agency’s Social Investment Fund will start putting money forward to groups and agencies in a bid to improve outcomes from 2025.
Coster expects to work closely with Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis in the top job: “She sets the priorities for this portfolio,” he said.
“The very clear outcome that we’re looking for from social investment is that we get better impact from the significant amount of money that we spend on social services,” Coster added.
In May, Willis confirmed $50.5 million had been allocated to support the Social Investment Agency, which included initiatives to set up the fund.
In October, Willis reiterated her plans to deliver what the Government called outcomes contracts in a bid to scrap initiatives that were not working and invest in those delivering results.
Willis told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking there are often multiple contracts coming from various agencies, which she suggested could be centralised.
“They’re spending hours filling in forms, reporting, doing all of this administrative bureaucracy stuff.”
Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis and Andrew Coster at the Social Investment Hui in Lower Hutt earlier this month. Photo / Mark Mitchell
“Social investment is about driving better results for people from the more than $70 billion the Government invests each year in social services. We are not getting enough impact from the investments the Government makes for our most vulnerable people – this despite decades of good intentions, multiple strategies and thousands of contracts,” Willis said when confirming the Public Service Commission was looking for a Social Investment Secretary in August.
“Our government wants a different approach to breaking cycles of disadvantage: more hard evidence, more power in the hands of communities and a much clearer focus on outcomes for money spent.”
On financial aspects, Coster said there was “a huge amount of money” spent on social services to unpick; “but the opportunity is very real and we’re up for the challenge”.
“The simple idea is to use evidence to do the things now that will make the greatest difference in the future for social outcomes.”
Coster saw any potential cuts to agencies that were not performing as a decision for Ministers in the end.
Oranga Tamariki copped criticism when it cut funding for providers who were noted as not performing as well as they could have.
“The [Social Investment] agency’s role is to provide advice to ministers about what is working to achieve the outcomes that we want and what is not working and the ministers take decisions based on that advice,” Coster said.
“The agency’s role is to bring evidence to decision-making so that we can be confident that the large amount of taxpayer money that goes on social services is effective.”
During the hiring process, Coster’s ability to drive change while in the top brass at Police was applauded.
Baggott commended Coster’s work with iwi and Māori at the Police force.
“He has built strong and credible relationships with iwi and Māori including the Iwi Chairs Forum.”
Former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster announced his resignation in September. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Coster said working with iwi and cultural organisations was just as important in regard to social investment as it was at police.
“We know that for the most complex needs that sit inside of our communities, that community-based provision is amongst the most effective and iwi providers are a part of that.
“We need to be able to work with the providers who understand their context and are able to connect with the people needing that kind of assistance.
“Some of that will be direct relationships from the agency and some of it will be through other departments, but it will be crucial.”
Looking back on his time as top cop, Coster said he experienced a “very dynamic” role.
“Through the time I was there we had Covid, we had everything associated with that. I’ve reflected previously that the Parliament protest was a significant challenge.
“Then [there was] the long tail of Covid that we’ve been managing at Police for a long time.”
Coster summarised the outcomes he was chasing as Social Investment boss as helping “people live better lives”.
“In the end, it is about helping people to live lives that are free of many of the negative outcomes that we know exist for parts of our community today.”
Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye across the region. She joined NZME in 2022 and has a keen interest in city council decisions, public service agency reform and transport.
