What's being proposed?

The consultation document proposes changes organisational wide, that will make Fire and Emergency a more effective and efficient emergency service. The proposal will include sections for proposed structures across each of the branches and one for the Chief Executive Support & Organisational Assurance Team.

Why are we timing this now?

While there is no good time to propose these changes, we want you to go into the Christmas period with as much certainty as possible rather than uncertainty hanging over. The hope is that by knowing where things stand allows people to mentally and emotionally prepare, rather than speculate.

That means, that by ensuring that decisions can be made and communicated before we close out the year people will be able to use this time to process the change, recharge, and start the new year with renewed energy.

It’s important to note that no changes to our structure will come into effect until the new year. This includes the disestablishment and establishment of any positions.  

What kinds of feedback are you asking for?

Feedback, suggestions, and comments on any aspect of the consultation document are welcomed, including but not limited to:

• The rationale for change 
• The proposed new structure 
• The proposed new roles 
• Our proposed timeline 
• Any other options you think should be considered
• Anything you think has been overlooked 
• Any other support you need during this process. 

How can I give feedback?

We are using Microsoft Forms to collect your feedback.

You’re welcome to provide feedback on any aspect of the proposal and there are individual feedback forms each section of the proposal to make it easier for you to give feedback on the sections that matter most to you.

Each form is structured around the specific section, with an open field at the bottom of each form to provide feedback on the whole proposal.

Feedback can also be submitted individually or as a group via email at consultationfeedback@fireandemergency.nz.

Do I need to log in to view the document or submit feedback?

Yes. Feedback should come from Fire and Emergency personnel only, that means we need you to log in with your Fire and Emergency email and password to access both the consultation document and the Microsoft feedback forms.

I need help logging in – who can I contact?

We know that not everyone regularly logs into their Fire and Emergency email or the Portal as part of their role, and we don’t want that to be a barrier to taking part in the consultation.

If you need help retrieving your login details or accessing the portal, please contact our ICT team at ICTSupport@fireandemergency.nz or call 0800 374 843 during business hours. 

Will there be a separate form for those proposed to be affected by the changes?

Yes. People who are affected by the proposed changes can provide feedback using dedicated forms for each section of the proposal.

This ensures we can identify when feedback has come from those directly affected during the anyalysis of feedback stage.

While we recognise that these changes are wide-reaching and will have an impact across the organisation, for the purposes of these forms, affected people are those whose roles are proposed to be disestablished or significantly changed. Everyone else is encouraged to submit their feedback using the general feedback forms.

Can feedback be submitted anonymously?

Yes. Feedback submitted through Microsoft Forms is anonymous. Although you’ll need to log in to access the form, your name and login details are not automatically collected. You can choose to include these details if you wish.

What is the character limit of the feedback forms?

Each of the sections within a form allows you to put in up to 4,000 characters, which is around 2 pages worth of content. If you want to submit more than this, we recommend either using mulitple sections within the form, making more than one submission, or emailing your feedback to consultationfeedback@fireandemergency.nz 

Do I need to share my feedback with my manager or anyone else?

No. You do not need to share your feedback with anyone, or have them reviewed by anyone, before submitting them. You don’t even need to tell anyone you are providing comment. The consultation process is a very important part of any change and ensuring we hear the views of all our people who wish to share them, strengthens the process, and supports better decision-making.

Who is leading this consultation and making the final decisions?

The consultation document has been developed collaboratively by the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) which is made up of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), The Chief of Staff and Pou Arahi – Kaupapa Māori Cultural Communities. They have been supported by specialist external practitioners and the internal Change Team.

The SLT will review and consider feedback together to reach final decisions.

Any final approvals required will be made by Kerry Gregory, Chief Executive.

How will decisions be made after consultation closes?

Once consultation closes, feedback will be collected under each section of the proposal and analysed according to the specific changes it relates to. This process helps to identify common themes, areas of concern, and suggestions for improvement before making final decisions.

When and how will the outcomes of consultation be communicated?

The outcomes of consultation are intended to be communicated on 17 December, to give time to review and consider all feedback during the anaysis of feedback stage. 

An 'Outcomes Document' will be shared with everyone and will follow a similar layout to the consultation document, presenting each of the sections of the proposal alongside key feedback themes, the considerations discussed, and the final decisions made.

Is ten days enough time to consider the feedback?

Ten days is definitely enough time for considering feedback, especially when the process is well-structured and focused. The consultation process has been designed to ensure every voice is heard and every piece of input is valued. By setting clear timelines and dedicating resources to review feedback promptly, we’ll be able to move forward with clarity and purpose. This approach allows thoughtful responses while maintaining momentum, ensuring that decisions are informed, timely, and respectful of everyone’s contributions.

Will decisions affect pay, conditions, or location of work?

Any proposed changes will be clearly outlined in the consultation document, and all employees will have an opportunity to provide feedback before a decision is confirmed. All changes will be made in line with our Managing the Impacts of Structural Change on Employees protocol. [PDF, 399 KB]

What happens if I disagree with the decisions?

We understand that people may have different views about the final decisions. Feedback received during the consultation period will be carefully reviewed and considered before any decisions are confirmed.

While not everyone may agree with every aspect of the outcome, the final decisions will reflect Fire and Emergency’s future direction, priorities, and the need to ensure the organisation is best set up to meet its goals.

Will the unions and associatios be informed?

Yes,  the PSA, NZPFU, FECA, and UFBA received notice ahead of the consultation, enabling them to review the proposal, support their members with information, and contribute informed feedback on their behalf.

What is the Executive Leadership Team (ELT)

The Executive Leadership Team manages day-to-day operations. The primary focus of this team is the operational leadership and delivery of performance across the six branches of Fire and Emergency. This team is made up of:

• Kerry Gregory - Chief Executive 
• Sarah Sinclair - Deputy Chief Executive, Asset and Programme Delivery
• Darryl Purdy -  Deputy Chief Executive, Corporate Services
• Janine Hearn - Deputy Chief Executive, People
• Megan Stiffler - Deputy Chief Executive, Operational Response
• Steph Rotarangi - Deputy Chief Executive, Prevention (Acting)

What is the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT)?

Following the stand up of the first phase of Fire and Emergency’s structure, as part of changing the ways we work, a Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) has been formed. The Strategic Leadership Team focuses on long-term vision and direction to achieve our strategy.  Their primary focus is long-term direction and organisational transformation. They are currently made up of the above ELT and:

• Becks Kearns - Chief of Staff 
• Piki Thomas - Pou Arahi, Kaupapa Māori Cultural Communities
• Bryan Dunne - Programme Director, Strategic Implementation Programme 

What is Managing the Impacts of Organisational Structure Change on Employees protocol and why is it important for navigating change?

This protocol explains how Fire and Emergency will support its people through organisational change, outlining fair, transparent steps for consultation and redeployment. It ensures consistent processes that reflect our values and put people first. The protocol gives people clarity of what they can expect through the change process in Fire and Emergency NZ.

You can view the full protocol for detailed guidance on what being affected or impacted means, and how the transition process works.

View protocol here(external link)

If my role is confirmed to be affected or impacted or when will changes take place? 

If you rare affected or impacted, your current role and employment will continue through to the transition phase begins to move into the next phase of change, as detailed in the final decision communications. The exact timing of changes will be confirmed as part of that process.

When will I have confirmation whether I am affected? 

Once consultation closes it will be followed by analysis of the feedback, and then final decisions will be announced. If you are affected you will be informed before final decisions are announced. This ensures you hear directly from the organisation and receive the information before it is communicated to others. 

If my position is disestablished and (I have ‘affected’ status), and a new position I am interested in has a lower pay band. Will my current salary be protected? 

The Managing the Impacts of Organisational Structure Change protocol doesn't provide salary protection where the new role has a lower pay band. If the new position’s terms and conditions are less favourable, you may not accept the position and retain your affected status if you choose to decline the offer.

What’s led us here?

The way we are currently set up and operating is not sustainable for the future. To understand why, it helps to look back at how we’ve evolved and what has brought us to this point.

When Fire and Emergency New Zealand was established in 2017, it brought together around 40 firefighting organisations and approximately 14,000 people. This created a large and complex emergency service with many interconnected parts.

A great deal of work happens behind the scenes that isn’t always visible or widely understood. Beyond our frontline response, we play multiple roles, as a regulator, a major fleet provider, a property maintenance organisation, a training provider, and a supporter of volunteerism across more than 650 brigades. We also administer the fire levy and respond to government needs. These diverse and interdependent functions reflect both the scale and complexity of Fire and Emergency, and the collective effort required to keep our organisation and our communities safe and resilient.

Our first National Strategy was foundational in bringing us together, but it also had a very broad scope. It effectively made everything a priority, valuable in principle, but in practice it left our people stretched. Over time, it became clear that we cannot do everything we need or want to do all at once without risking delivery on what matters most.

Over the past eight years, our focus has been on establishing Fire and Emergency as a unified organisation:

• bringing together people, systems, and processes
• delivering our core services consistently
• managing and maintaining our asset base
• building the enabling functions that support our work, and
• defining the kind of culture we want to create together.

This establishment phase (often referred to as Transition, Integration, and Unification) was anticipated to take around ten years. We are now reaching the point where it’s time to take what we’ve learned, what we’ve built, and move into the next stage of our journey: a maturing phase.

Looking ahead to 2030, we face new challenges and new opportunities. Our operating environment is evolving rapidly. Communities’ needs are changing, and technology, both the tools we use and those that can create new risks, is advancing at pace.

To meet these changes, we must adapt and become more adaptable.

How are our finances involved? 

Around 95% of our funding comes from a levy on insurance policies that cover fire damage. 

Traditionally, that revenue has been consistent. But for first time in two decades, we have seen a drop in our levy takings. That’s a huge concern.

This is mostly the result of changes in the ways people are choosing to insure their homes, businesses and cars. We also have new levy rules coming into effect on 1 July 2026. We won’t know what the impact of those changes will be until after they happen. This is a lot of uncertainty, and it means we must manage financial risk wisely.  

How does this connect to delivering on the new strategy? 

Recognising the workload and expectations on our people, along with the need to prepare for future challenges as well as manage the financial risks associated with a volatile levy, we knew we needed to make changes to become a more effective and sustainable emergency service.  

This required prioritisation and a refreshed strategy. 

On 1 July this year, our new Strategic Direction came into effect. In developing it, we reflected on the past, analysed our current environment, and looked ahead to the challenges of the next five years.

Our Strategic Direction has five clear focus areas, with culture at the centre, to help us target our time, energy, and resources more effectively.  

We cannot become the organisation we need to be by doing things the way we always have.  

Delivering on this direction means evaluating what is working, what is not, and what needs to change, including making tough decisions about what to prioritise and, in some cases, what to stop. 

Are these changes all about saving money? 

No. While our financial risks are real, and some of the proposed changes would see a reduction in our operating costs, this is about setting us up for the future so we can reinvest in the areas that need it most.

Alongside being more efficient with our money, the proposed changes are about making Fire and Emergency a more effective emergency service. 

Key drivers behind the proposed changes include: 

• Removing silos and increasing collaboration and oversight across functions 

• Refocusing on our core business priorities (“going back to basics”) 

• Improving role clarity and accountability 

• Enhancing decision-making by empowering leaders 

• Creating “Centres of Expertise” and improving access to, and quality of, information 

By making smart decisions now, we can build a more modern, and more trusted emergency service - one that’s equipped to meet the needs of New Zealanders for years to come. 

How does this consultation connect to the Strategic Implementation Programme? 

To make our Strategic Direction real and actionable, we launched the Strategic Implementation Programme in July. This programme outlines the key pieces of work we are prioritising to achieve our strategy. 

Each piece of work is led from within a branch and connects to one of the six Strategic Pou (pillars) from the Strategic Direction: 

1. Culture 

2. Safe, Effective and Resilient Operations 

3. Effective Regulator 

4. Strong Relationships 

5. Supporting Our People 

6. Strong Business Foundations 

When we talk about needing to deliver on and reinvest in the things that matter most, this refers to the work that has been prioritised under each of these pou. 

The initiative around structural changes sits within the Strong Business Foundations pou and includes both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of this work. 

• You can read more about each pou, their vision for Fire and Emergency in 2030, and the initiatives prioritised to support them. 

How will the proposed changes improve the way we serve our communities? 

At the heart of these proposed changes is our shared purpose - serving communities together. To do that well, we need an organisation that’s set up to meet the challenges of today and the future. 

Right now, the way we’re structured makes it harder than it should be to work efficiently, share information, and make timely decisions.  

These proposed changes aim to make it easier for our people to do their jobs by reducing duplication, improving coordination across teams, and creating clearer lines of accountability. This means decisions can be made closer to where the work happens, resources can be directed where they’re needed most, and our support services can respond faster when emergencies occur. 

How does the Strategic Leadership Team know these changes will achieve the outcomes they’re aiming for? 

Change on this scale always comes with some unknowns. While the proposed changes have been developed with careful consideration, there will be areas that we haven’t got right, or we could do better. This is why your feedback will be crucial in ensuring these are addressed in the final decisions

Leading up to the restructure (including in developing Our Strategic Direction and looking at our business planning processes) they have looked carefully at where current systems, structures, and ways of working are creating pressure or slowing us down. The proposed changes are designed to address those issues by improving alignment, reducing duplication, strengthening leadership, and helping us make better decisions faster. 

Success depends on the feedback and insights of our people - we want to hear from you if these changes will help us achieve our goals. Input during consultation is vital to ensuring the changes are practical, effective, and make sense for those doing the work. The more perspectives shared the stronger the final outcomes will be. 

Are you just going to require us to do the same amount of work or more with less resource?

No. The proposed changes are about setting us up to deliver on our new Strategic Direction, which narrows our focus to five clear priorities, with culture at the centre. This means being more deliberate about where we invest our time and energy.

Importantly, it also means stopping or scaling back work that does not align with these priorities.

By focusing on what matters most, our workload should better align with the resources we have. This is about working with clarity and purpose, not doing more with less.