11286 (2026). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister of Internal Affairs

11286 (2026). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister of Internal Affairs: How, if at all, has Fire Emergency New Zealand (FENZ ) implemented Recommendation 17 of the Public Service Commission Workplace Culture Review of Fire and Emergency New Zealand, focused on increasing the representation of women in the career firefighter workforce?

Hon Brooke van Velden: I am advised that Fire and Emergency New Zealand have implemented Recommendation 17 through its Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2024–2034, which includes a programme of work to increase the representation of women in the career firefighter workforce. Key actions include: • progressing work to develop and implement recruitment targets to address the under-representation of women, alongside a review of recruitment processes to identify and remove barriers to retention and progression. • taking targeted steps to increase applications from women, including tailored recruitment campaigns and the use of women firefighters to promote the role. • strengthening requirements for diverse representation on recruitment and promotion panels, supported by updated policy and mandatory training for panel members for leadership roles. • implementing initiatives to improve retention and progression, including People Led Networks, mentorship programmes for women firefighters, and targeted support such as menopause and perimenopause resources. • commissioning independent research to better understand barriers to progression for women firefighters and using this to inform ongoing improvements. • incorporating respect, inclusion, and diversity content into leadership programmes and organisational learning. Six monthly updates on the recommendations have been provided to my office and are publicly available on: www.fireandemergency.nz/about-us/our-commitments/eke-taumata/.