43536 (2025). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Minister of Internal Affairs

43536 (2025). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What consultation, if any, has the Minister or Fire and Emergency New Zealand undertaken with the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union regarding fleet condition and replacement planning?

Hon Brooke van Velden: I am advised by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fire and Emergency) that a term of the settlement of the collective employment agreement between Fire and Emergency and the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) on 6 December 2022 was the establishment of three working parties, one of which was fleet. This saw Fire and Emergency and the NZPFU at the table in equal numbers working on solutions for the future of the organisation’s fleet, including the type of appliances that should be prioritised for purchase. This was more than consultation with the NZPFU, it was a process of shared decision making, the outcome of which has been orders for 70 new fire trucks since 1 January 2023. Fire and Emergency is committed to continuing to engage with relevant stakeholders, including the NZPFU, on the future of its fleet.