Court of Appeal upholds Fire and Emergency’s process to appoint leaders

The UFBA is pleased to see the Court of Appeal’s determination to uphold Fire and Emergency’s process on appointments for leadership positions across New Zealand.

This decision means Fire and Emergency can finally proceed with Tranche 2 Service Delivery bringing much-needed clarity to the many good people who have been left in limbo by these disruptive delays. This endorses FENZ’s intention to appoint leaders from its vastly more diverse and specialist workforce following the amalgamation of urban and rural fire services in 2017. 

‘It is the right outcome for the services in New Zealand and is something the UFBA advocated strongly for in its submission in November 2019’ says UFBA CEO, Bill Butzbach.  The FENZ process includes the opportunity for volunteer leaders, who bring a career's worth of experience, to be considered for roles they would have previously been excluded from. Equally, the process is inclusive of rural leaders and specialists and supports progression towards a more inclusive and equitable workplace. 

The UFBA strongly rejects any implication that this Court decision in any way puts New Zealand communities in harms way.

For background and to see Fire and Emergency's statement with a link to the Court's Ruling click here.