REVEALED: Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s Trucks Rust While Executives Cash In

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal through an Official Information Act request that Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) collected $712 million from the fire levy last year, yet are failing to maintain frontline equipment while executives and back-office staff take home millions.

New figures obtained under the Official Information Act show:

• 1 in 4 fire trucks (347) are over 25 years old
• FENZ Chief Executive is paid $503,000
• The seven Deputy Chief Executives are collectively paid up to $2.37 million
• Over 800 non-frontline staff are employed in support and managerial roles

Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator, Rhys Hurley, said:

“While unpaid volunteers respond to emergencies in decades-old trucks, FENZ’s top brass is earning more than the Prime Minister. It’s an insult to every firefighter doing the real work.”

“This is an organisation funded by a compulsory levy on every insured Kiwi home and business. But instead of going to the front line, the money is vanishing into bloated management and Wellington salaries.”

“The fire levy isn’t just a tax but a blank cheque for bureaucracy. We now have seven Deputy Chief Executives, hundreds of non-frontline staff, and trucks so old they belong in a museum.”

“If FENZ can afford $500,000 for its CEO and nearly $2.4 million for his deputies, it can afford to buy new trucks for our volunteer brigades.”