New Fire and Rescue Legislation Presentation to Annual Conference of the NZ Professional Fire Fighters Union 23 November 2004

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New Fire and Rescue LegislationPresentation to
Annual Conference of the NZ Professional Fire
Fighters Union23 November 2004

• Norman Preston, Department of Internal Affairs
• Project Manager, Review of Fire Legislation

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New Fire and Rescue Legislation

• what are the problems?
• mandate and scope for the project
• whats happening now in the process?
• options for the future

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What are the problems? (1)

• the lack of a fully integrated management
  framework
• less efficient use of resources
• gaps
• boundary issues
• lack of clarity over some accountabilities

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What are the problems? (2)

• shortcomings in the mandate for rescue work
• inequitable funding arrangements
• disparity in services between urban and rural
  areas
• blurring of lines between urban and rural areas
  with semi-urban developments

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There is no crisis!

• things work well on the ground!
• but some firefighters are legally exposed
• statutory processes are cumbersome, and
• dual system makes for less efficient resource
  allocation.

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The mandate

• a single piece of legislation
• recognise that firefighters carry out rescue work
• DIA develop in close consultation with local
  government and the Fire Service Commission
• a property-based funding scheme

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Integrated legislation

• presently have two pieces of legislation
• FSA 1975
• FRFA 1977
• one piece of legislation does not necessarily
  mean a single provider
• changing legislation also gives opportunity to
  make major changes

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Rescue mandate

• general rescue operations now a considerable
  activity
• mandate poor for urban firefighters to do rescue
  work
• no mandate for rural firefighters for more than
  fire
• need to include rescue mandate in legislation

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Consultation partners

• Local government (major rural FA role)
• Fire Service Commission (urban system)

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Significance of the changes (i)

• Some parties will have a particular interest in
  any new fire managment organisation
• forestry sector will want to know risks being
  managed appropriately and firefighting capability
  in place
• farming sector issues of coverage, land access
  and liability for fires
• communities will want to ensure their ownership
  of brigades is maintained

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Significance of the changes (ii)

• other rescue services will be concerned about
  interface issues and integration of operations
• local government will want to ensure that
  property taxes pay for efficient and effective
  services
• central government will want to ensure that any
  new system is no less efficient than the current
  system ie no more costly for the same work

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Significance of the changes (iii)

• new environment
• new opportunities
• new challenges

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What do we need to safeguard?

• recognise the effective operational systems in
  place
• ensure professional firefighters utilized to full
  advantage
• maintain the momentum of growing regional
  cooperation in rural fire
• ensure that volunteers encouraged and developed

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What has happened?

• DIA engaging with key stakeholders
• Website established (www.dia.govt.nz/whats
  new/Review of fire legislation)
• FLAG Reference Group established
  (Tsy/DPMC/MCDEM/FSC/LGNZ)
• DIA finalising the first of two discussion
  documents

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Approximate timetable

• discussion document on structure/governance and
  mandate issues by end 2004
• discussion document on funding in 2005
• legislation in Parliament 2006

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What to expect of new legislation

• Enabling framework
• Removes prescriptive elements (eg districts
  probably statutory officers)
• Focus on management system
• Functions rather than managers
• Removes redundant provisions
• Financial issues largely covered by PF Act
• Organisational issues by Crown entities
  legislation

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Options

• Pure national model
• Modified status quo
• National model with regional input

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Pure National Model

• Single new fire and rescue organisation
• Crown entity with Board accountable to Minister
• Responsible for urban and rural fire plus other
  rescue
• Full management powers to Chief Executive
• Contracting out for special interest groups which
  can meet minimum national standards (eg DoC/
  forestry companies.)

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A national model (option one)
Department of Internal Affairs (Advisor)
  Minister
New Zealand Fire and Rescue Board

Chief Executive
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Modified Status quo

• Retains separation of urban and rural fire
  delivery and management
• Single piece of legislation tidied
  up/modernised
• Clarified division of responsibilities/ambiguities
  removed
• Rescue mandate expanded
• One form of firefighter brigade

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A modified status quo (option two)
Minister
Department of Internal Affairs (Advisor)
New Zealand Fire and Rescue Board
National Rural Advisory Board
Chief Executive
Fire Authorities
National Rural Fire Officer
National Director of Operations
Principal Rural Fire Officers
Chief Fire Officer
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National model regional input

• National delivery of services
• New Crown entity/board/Minister accountability
• Responsible for rural and urban fire plus other
  rescue
• Statutory requirement for regional consultation
  (local committees or boards)
• Boundaries would coincide with regional
  government ones
• Contracting out

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National-regional model (option three)
Minister
 
Department of Internal Affairs (Advisor)
New Zealand Fire and Rescue Board
Chief Executive
                       
National Director of Operations
Advisory Board (including farmer, / forestry,
/property- owner, interests, local government,
Department of Conservation interests/DoC)
Regional Director of Operations
(Regions based on regional council boundaries)
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Which way? (fin)