Election 2026: National to make Fire and Emergency a departmental agency as part of ‘accountability’ push

NZ Herald22 Sep, 2026 10:41 PM4 mins to readMark Mitchell said firefighters deserve “an organisation that is as reliable and prepared as they are”. National is promising to make Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) a departmental agency directly accountable to the Emergency Management Minister. Fire and Emergency has come under scrutiny recently for fleet-related issues as well as internal decision-making. A select committee report last week found “the poor state of the FENZ fleet is due to sustained and significant failings of FENZ leadership” and incorrect information provided led the committee to have “little confidence” in its leadership.