Since the last NZPFU notice Auckland Local representatives have met with District Manager Vaughan Mackereth to discuss his direction not to deploy the aerial appliance Parnell 255 unless confirmed fire.

Mr Mackereth refused to withdraw his instruction, threatened disciplinary action for those that did not comply with his instruction and refused to other alternatives to address aspects of the health and safety implications of his instruction.

Today the NZPFU notified FENZ that Officers had the right on health and safety grounds to deploy the heavy aerial in accordance of their training and experience, regardless of confirmed fire.

The email is provided below.

From: Secretary
Sent: 16 June 2025 10:17
To: Cooper, Ken <ken.cooper@fireandemergency.nz>; Mackereth, Vaughan <Vaughan.Mackereth@fireandemergency.nz>
Cc: President; Vice President; AuckLocal Secretary; AuckLocal President
Subject: RIGHT TO CEASE FOLLOWING DIRECTION
Importance: High

Dear Acting DCE Service Delivery Ken Cooper and District Manager Vaughan Mackereth,

We refer to Vaughan MacKereth’s email 9 June 2025 restricting the deployment of Heavy Aerial Parnell 255 to confirmed fires only.

The NZPFU sent an email out to all NZPFU Auckland Members notifying Officers of their rights and obligations to deploy resources in accordance with their training and experience, regardless of confirmed fire, taking into account the health and safety consequences for responding firefighters and the public they were responding to.

Since Mr MacKereth’s email the NZPFU requested a meeting with management to discuss Mr Mackereth’s direction not to deploy the heavy aerial appliance unless there is a confirmed fire, the health and safety implications of that direction and to consider other options.

At that meeting, Mr Mackereth reiterated his position set out in his 9 June 2025 email to all Auckland staff, and threatened disciplinary action for those that responded Heavy Aerial Parnell 255 without confirmed fire.  He said he had already spoken to one Officer who had responded the aerial without confirmed fire.     Mr Mackereth refused the Union proposal of addressing the unsafe staffing aspect by sending an additional appliance  to ensure appropriate resourcing on the incident ground pending the late arrival of an aerial appliance once responded.

We now notify FENZ that NZPFU members who are Station Officers and Senior Station Officers will respond Parnell 255 when they deem it appropriate to do so taking into account their training, experience,  and command and control manuals and policies.    We will notify our members of their right to cease to follow Mr Mackereth’s direction including in accordance with sections 82 and 83 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

We remind FENZ of the requirements under the Health and Safety at Work Act of the primary duty of care and obligations of the PCBU under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. 

Yours sincerely,

Ms Wattie Watson
National Secretary
New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union
Te Kāhui Kaipatuahi o Aotearoa