Source: Federated Farmers
Within only a week of Federated Farmers’ call for a review of Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the Government has recognised the issues.
“We wrote to Minister Brooke van Velden last week asking for an independent review of FENZ, as farmers are really concerned about rising levy costs and declining rural services,” Federated Farmers vice president Colin Hurst says.
“It’s a very positive first step that the Minister has now asked the Department of Internal Affairs to investigate if there are better ways to fund FENZ than through insurance levies.
“It’s been 50 years since the system of collecting levies on property insurance began, while the responsibilities and workload of our fire and emergency services have changed hugely.
“It’s entirely valid to ask whether the funding model is still fit for purpose.”
However, Hurst says the investigations should go further.
“When rural and urban firefighting organisations combined in 2017, we were told it would be a more efficient and better-resourced service.
“Many people think that hasn’t happened. We’re hearing consistent complaints about rundown fire trucks, equipment and stations in rural areas,” Hurst says.
“We’re also hearing about a watering down of specialist rural fire expertise because of poor retention and development.”
In a letter sent last week, Federated Farmers and the Forest Owners Association called for a review not just of whether the current insurance-based levy model is still fair and sustainable, but if rural levy payers are getting a level of service that reflects the costs they pay.
“We deserve assurance that farmers and rural businesses aren’t subsidising the urban residential sector,” Hurst says.
“Farmers are willing to pay their fair share, but we expect a system that’s transparent, efficient and delivers for New Zealand.
“At the moment, that’s not what we’re seeing. The scope of the review the Government has called for this week should be expanded accordingly.”