The NZPFU is calling for an independent inquiry into FENZ to examine why FENZ has failed to manage funding to ensure that it has the capacity and capability for reliable emergency response to the New Zealand public, now and in the future.

There needs to be independent scrutiny of FENZ’s management of its funding to ascertain whether it has been appropriately focused on the necessary critical areas of resourcing to provide emergency response, protect the public and meet its obligations under the Fire and Emergency Act 2017.

We believe there have been serious failures in the management and governance of FENZ with a lack of accountability for failed projects that have wasted tens of millions of dollars.

We believe that there is a serious lack of transparency in decisions and the actual state of affairs.  This was reflected in FENZ providing a myriad of responses to questions of Members of Parliament in the House and through a select committee.  FENZ has provided inaccurate or misleading information and in doing so has demonstrated the need for a full, independent inquiry.

The NZPFU has released a petition.  We respectfully ask the public to support our call for a public independent inquiry. 

The petition can be accessed here.

FENZ has more than doubled its revenue since its establishment in 2017 yet failed to have one new fire appliance on career stations in the first 8 years.  Some new appliances are on their way, but nowhere near enough to address the old and failing fleet.

FENZ’s own data and information shows insufficient firefighters and communications centre dispatchers are employed to ensure minimum staffing is achieved 24/7.  That resulted in an “agreement in principle” to increase numbers which FENZ is not only reneging on, but claiming the increase in firefighters in Auckland was “unauthorised” and are taking actions that will drive down numbers below current levels.

While career and volunteer firefighter numbers have barely increased over the past 8 years, the number of non-operational support staff and management has more than doubled.

The list of issues is long but we think an independent inquiry needs to examine:

• The Fire Service Commission was operating on a budget of about $340 million.  FENZ was established in 2017 with a one-off $300 million start-up package in addition to annual funding.  In 2025 FENZ reported $838 million in funding.    While firefighter numbers (volunteer and career) have been largely stagnant, FENZ has doubled the levels of non-operational staff including management since its establishment, and for 8 years not one new fire appliance had made it to career fire stations.  

• The state of FENZ fleet is dire with breakdowns and lack of fit-for-purpose relief appliances often leave communities exposed as firefighters (career and volunteer) either fail to get to emergency incidents, or emergency response at incident is directly impacted by failing or broken old fire appliances. 

• FENZ is now driving down staffing levels by reversing improvements to staffing levels that were made to prevent stations closing or trucks responding understaffed.   FENZ is now trying to claim the increase in firefighters was a pilot to measure a reduction in the necessary time needed to recover from long-term injury and illness such as occupational cancer and mental health issues.  Increase in staffing was to ensure the fire trucks and 111 emergency dispatch centres were safely staffed 24/7.  Now FENZ is resorting to again closing stations, 111 emergency dispatch centres or running with unsafe staffing levels.

• FENZ has cut career firefighter recruit courses and volunteer brigades are reporting limited access to training for volunteer recruits.

• There are three 111 emergency centres in New Zealand but FENZ continues to understaff and overwork dispatchers resulting in documented significant impacts on their health and wellbeing.  It is not usual for one or more of the three 111 emergency centres to be closed due to lack of staffing putting extra strain on the crews in other centre/s to cover the rest of the country.

• FENZ recently removed the “future” from a critical Future Operating Capability project now only focusing what we have now despite known changes in risks and including population growth, changes to types of industries, and the increased risk of extreme weather events.

• There has been huge waste in expenditure with no accountability.  Tens of millions wasted through a shelved payroll system, a failed uniform project, restructures to undo the damage of previous restructures, and changes to complaint systems that are still causing grief for many.

We are fighting for your fire service.

We are confident an independent inquiry is absolutely necessary to prevent the downgrading of New Zealand’s fire and emergency service!  

Wattie Watson
NZPFU National Secretary