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Andrew Coster pockets $15,000 while Public Service Commissioner slow walks inevitable sacking... 🤑

Last week, we shared the then-breaking news that New Zealand’s former top cop Andrew Coster tried to bury allegations relating to his former Deputy, and sex offender, Jevon McSkimming. 

My initial response was to say: As an organisation whose primary purpose is accountability of government, I can't think of a report in the last decade more damning of such a senior public official. 

We immediately went public and called on the Public Service Commissioner, Sir Brian Roche, to rule out a golden handshake for Coster who is now CEO of the Government's flagship 'Social Investment Agency' (instead of sacking him last year, the Government did the usual Wellington-style musical chairs to shift Coster out of the Police sideways into a cushy agency/CEO role).

We can now reveal, that despite all the huffing and puffing last week from the Government about Coster's disgraceful conduct, Coster's boss, Sir Brian, had received the IPCA report some 10 days earlier and did not suspend Coster until the day the damning report became public! 🤨

So how long does it take one bureaucrat to sack another bureaucrat? 🤔

I don't know about you , but when you have a senior leader in the public service who is at the centre of the biggest New Zealand corruption scandal in living memory <[link removed]>, you'd think it wouldn't take too long to write and deliver the letter of dismissal, right?

Wrong.

Today, Andrew Coster remains on garden leave. And as of this morning, he's racked up more than $15,000 in the nine days since he was marched out the door suspended.

Unfortunately, this is how it happens in the public service. While the media move on from a scandal, those responsible are rewarded with months (sometimes years!) of fullypaid leave, and (more often than not) six figure payouts for 'standing down', 'quitting', or (in the Reserve Bank's case) the $416,120 paid to Adrian Orr to 'keep his mouth shut' <[link removed]>.

To avoid this outcome, and ensure taxpayers have transparency, one of our smart young interns created a real time "Coster cost-calculator" to track Andrew Coster's golden garden leave.

As Sir Brian Roche slow walks the actual sacking, Coster is cozy racking up thousands.

As I said to the media earlier today:

"We all know the public service takes its time, but given the context, Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche should not be waiting around. There can be no golden handshake - nor a slow walked process that sees Andrew Coster get paid out while on garden leave."

"The disgraced former Police Commissioner is taking home $1,500 a day as he sits waiting for the inevitable sacking as head of the Social Investment Agency. Most taxpayers would consider that a disgrace."

"Sir Brian Roche should have cut off Coster within hours of receiving the IPCA report. Instead, Sir Brian waited 10 days - until the report became public - to suspend Coster. Now Coster is on the pig's back as the process is slow walked. It brings the whole public service into disrepute."

"This case demonstrates everything wrong in the public sector – where CEOs are paid the big bucks - including as they exit."

"Sir Brian's job is to uphold standards across the public service – he needs to hurry up and do it!”

"While taxpayers count the days, Coster counts the cash. <[link removed]>"

ENDS

Track how long it takes (and it's costing you) for so-called "public sector accountability" at CostlyCoster.nz <[link removed]>.

We say that if accountability is to mean anything in Wellington, Coster needs to be shown the door, without further dally and delay. <[link removed]>

You can also use our email tool on the website to send a personal note to the Public Service Commissioner demanding that Coster be sacked *without* the customary golden handshake. <[link removed]>After all, Sir Brian works for you - and all taxpayers - and he too needs to be held accountable for his handling of the matter.



Now onto more positive news this week...

Ratepayer Victory: Palmerston North's Ratepayer Protection Pledge signers vote for democratic accountability: defeat unelected committee members! 🎉

Last week, Palmerston North City Councillors voted on yet another proposal put up by the usual local government insiders, to invite unelected/unaccountable hand-picked appointments onto a new arts, culture and heritage council committee. 

Thanks to those recently elected councillors who had signed the Taxpayers' Union's Ratepayer Protection Pledge <[link removed]>, the vote split 8-8 vote meaning the motion could not go ahead. The move overruled both Mayor Grant Smith and Deputy Mayor Debi Marshall-Lobb in their plans to appoint unelected Rangitāne onto the new committee.

Among those who opposed the proposal were several councillors who had signed the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, including first-timer Hayden Fitzgerald.

Not only did he sign the pledge, Cr Fitzgerald was true to his word, telling Stuff's The Post:



This vote is a clear win for democracy in Palmerston North, and they are the ratepayer heroes of the week. 🦸 

EXPOSED: $38 Million on business start up grants ✅ Accountability? ❌

Our investigations team has exposed that millions of dollars of "business start-up grants" have been handed out by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), but have lacked oversight to track the status of the grant money or 'start-ups'.

MSD spent $38,512,555.69 on Flexi-Wage Self-Employment support and Business Training and Advice Grants, yet hundreds of recipients returned to a benefit with no tracking of how many businesses actually survived.

The idea – implemented under the last Government – was probably well intentioned, where beneficiaries were supported financially to start a business with the goal of making their own income and therefore no longer being reliant on benefits. 

MSD's monitoring of the project was so poor that they couldn't tell us if it was providing value for money for taxpayers. Their report, published last year on this programme, found that "many participants struggled to establish a viable business" and "only a minority of participants earned any income".

After releasing this story, Mike Hosking dug into it on Newstalk ZB <[link removed]>, with former Business NZ head and Welfare Advisory Group member Phil O'Riley. 

<[link removed]>

Phil is bang-on to ask what MSD is learning from the experience to measure results and ensure the money spent is worthwhile. If a private business ran the same way, it would be broke within a week.

Does the public have the right to know whether MPs are turning up for work? 🤨



Last month, Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee floated the idea of publishing MPs' attendance records. <[link removed]> We reckon he's onto something. Parliament already publishes quarterly reports on MPs' overall spending. Why not MPs' attendance too?

Even Parliament's most hopeless party appointed list MP backbenchers are paid $173,400, plus the generous perks (including travel, clothing allowances, accommodation grants, generous superannuation, and more). We say showing up shouldn’t be optional.

For electorate MPs, if we can't see or hear them in the House, how can we have any confidence they're fighting for local issues?

Of course, there are legitimate reasons for absences (select committee work, electorate duties, urgent matters), but without the data, we can't tell who's doing the work and who's wagging. Transparency is key.

We are reliably informed that Mr Speaker is a regular reader of Taxpayer Update. Come on Mr Brownlee, let's turn words into action... 😘

Adrian's tomb: $56m for a half-empty Reserve Bank office 🏦

We try to be a glass half-full type of organisation, but the Reserve Bank’s new offices will be on the half-empty side.

Last week, the Reserve Bank was made to disclose its $56 million office costs <[link removed]> (for 10 years), and due to their recent redundancies, the staff will only use half of the space available.

Under ex-Governor Adrian Orr, the Reserve Bank signed a 10-year lease for fancy waterfront Britomart offices, which will cost taxpayers over four times more than their Queen Street offices.



The new offices will cost $3.1 million per year, with a further $1.1 million operating cost and even an $14.5 million fit-out budget. 

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has stepped in to ask the acting chair to sublease redundant space so the Reserve Bank can reduce their costs. 

If you, or someone you know, is looking for fancy office space in Auckland - drop me a line and we'll put you in touch with Nicola Willis. You'll be a taxpayer hero!

Half the public sector is “winging it” on billions in assets 📉🤦 

<[link removed]>

Last week, the Prime Minister made the extraordinary admission on Newstalk ZB that 50 percent of government agencies do not have asset management plans <[link removed]>. Treasury has raised the alarm <[link removed].>, warning that half the public sector is essentially flying blind when it comes to the billions of dollars’ worth of buildings, vehicles, IT systems and infrastructure they’re meant to be looking after.

This is not a niche paperwork issue. When agencies don’t track what they own or the condition it’s in, the result is predictable: waste, decay, emergency repairs, and massive cost blowouts that land squarely on the taxpayer. Treasury is clearly worried – and the Government needs to listen.

After the Prime Minister admitted this shocking figure on Newstalk ZB, we immediately wrote to him asking for the underlying information and specific advice from the officials he was referring to. You can read our letter to the Prime Minister here. <[link removed]>

If fifty percent of government agencies have no asset management plans, we want to know which ones, and what their Ministers intend to do about it. This is basic governance.

No private business or Board of Directors would survive if half its departments had no idea what assets they held or what state they were in. Right now, the public sector is being trusted with billions in taxpayer-funded infrastructure without the systems to manage it. That isn’t just inefficient. It is negligent.

Until Ministers demand proper plans and start holding chief executives to account, taxpayers will keep paying the price. We'll keep you updated on the response.

One more thing... ✊

The work of the Taxpayers' Union is 100% dependent on the continued support of thousands of people like you who chip in and make the work possible. With our AGM approaching, now is the time to join the Taxpayers' Union if you've not already <[link removed]>, or make a secure donation via our website <[link removed]>.

<[link removed]>

Thank you for your support, 


 Jordan Williams
 Executive Director
 New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. 

In the Media:

New Zealand HeraldCapital gains tax: Country split down middle on CGT, but Aucklanders set against it - poll <[link removed]>

The PlatformMax Whitehead - Andrew Coster Employment Fate (Full Interview) <[link removed]>

TVNZRoad freight industry urges caution on proposed tolling changes <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZBFull Show Podcast: 13 November 2025 <[link removed]>

New Zealand HeraldPoll results: Labour jumps to 38% after capital gains tax announcement, National also up <[link removed]>

StuffNew poll shows Labour pushing 40% and likely leading a government <[link removed]>

The PressLabour surges to 38% in new poll - but still needs Te Pāti Māori <[link removed]>

The CountryThe Country 13/11/25: Nicola Grigg talks to Jamie Mackay <[link removed]>

The CountryThe Country Full Show: Thursday, November 13, 2025 <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZBTHE RE-WRAP: We Are a Bunch of Know-Nothing Bozos <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZBThe Huddle: Is a wider police investigation needed? <[link removed]>

Waatea NewsMartyn Bradbury | Who will govern Aotearoa - the latest poll is out <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZB audioAfternoon Edition: 12 November 2025 <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZBNewstalk ZB Auckland 8pm - Item 2 <[link removed]>

The PostRangitāne excluded from council committee <[link removed]>

Interest.co.nz the left-bloc may need an overhang to change the Government next year <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZBFull Show Podcast: 12 November 2025 <[link removed]>

Radio New Zealand AudioThe Panel with Claire Amos and Patrick Phelps, Part 1 <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZBNewstalk ZB Wellington 4pm - Item 4 <[link removed]>

NZ CityA new poll indicates support for the Coalition's risen enough to let it govern - even though Labour gets the top-billing <[link removed]>

The Times OnlineSeymour’s support rises in new political poll <[link removed]>

Radio New ZealandCoalition would hold power but Labour gains points after capital gains tax - poll <[link removed]>

Waikato TimesLabour gains in poll after capital gains tax - but coalition back on top <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZBLabour gains support after CGT announcement, but not enough to form Government <[link removed]>

Stuff.co.nzLabour the most popular party in latest poll, but coalition holds power <[link removed]>

The Times OnlineTaxpayers’ Union calls for Andrew Coster to be sacked from Social Investment Agency <[link removed]>

Radio New Zealand AudioAuckland Council’s $300,000 Christmas decoration lights up city <[link removed]>

Radio New Zealand$300,0000 Auckland Christmas decorations spark mixed feelings <[link removed]>

The PostNew deputy mayor Murray Chong's Q&amp;A draws fierce complaints from councillors <[link removed]>

The PlatformJordan Williams - "It's not a Michelin Star if it's a Taxpayer funded Michelin Star" <[link removed]>

PolitikTreasury is at it again <[link removed]>

Q+AStephen Rowe: Campaigning with AI, and the killing of Charlie Kirk <[link removed]>

The PressFrom Charlie Kirk to ChatGPT: Can AI make politics human again? <[link removed]>

NewsroomAnne Salmond: A Trumpian accent <[link removed]>

StuffFrom ‘ghost town’ to ‘zombie apocalypse’: Can a billion dollar spend save this city centre? <[link removed]>

Star NewsAward-winning South Island chefs ‘very excited’ by Michelin chance <[link removed]>

Newstalk ZBThe Huddle: Is the Michelin Guide a worthy investment? <[link removed]>

Waikato TimesBNZ posts flat $1.49 billion annual profit as recovery drags its feet <[link removed]>

New Zealand Taxpayers' Union Inc. · 117 Lambton Quay, Level 4, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
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