A select committee report has recommended that the government review Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s procurement arrangements and governance after identifying delays, weaknesses in contract management and trucks that remain out of operational use.
Unused trucks expose procurement delays
National MP Tim Costley, deputy chair of the Governance and Administration committee, said the report showed years of failings within FENZ. He said the organisation bought 30 new trucks in 2019 that were still not being used. Costley also alleged that FENZ had repeatedly faced delays and truck-related problems, and that designs appeared to have been changed during the procurement process. These claims are contained in the committee’s account of the evidence; the report’s recommendations do not, by themselves, establish misconduct. They do, however, identify a procurement process in which requirements, delivery and operational readiness did not align.
Ladder trucks remained with manufacturers
The report also drew attention to ladder trucks bought by FENZ. Costley said they had suffered significant delays and that, despite a final inspection in July 2025, they were still with their original manufacturers rather than delivered to FENZ or placed into operational use. For public buyers and suppliers, the issue illustrates why procurement does not end with a specification or inspection. Requirements must remain stable, contracts must be actively managed, and delivery risks must be tracked through to acceptance and frontline use. FENZ chair Raveen Jaduram acknowledged weaknesses in all three areas.
Government support or a different buying model is under review
The committee recommended that the government consider whether FENZ is best placed to conduct its own procurement, or whether further support is required. That wording leaves open more than one response: FENZ could retain responsibility while strengthening its capability, or procurement support could be provided elsewhere. The recommendation concerns the allocation of buying responsibility, not a direction to abandon competition or a finding that a particular supplier was at fault. It also links purchasing performance to governance, after Costley said the board could not produce evidence of asking about the new fire engines between December 2023 and the inquiry.
FENZ promises clearer accountability
Jaduram said he acknowledged the significant shortcomings identified by the report and was committed to transparent action. Since taking the chair role in June, he said FENZ had begun initiatives to strengthen fleet procurement, reporting and management practices. Those measures include clearer accountability, stronger oversight of delivery and risk, according to FENZ. The report separately recommended that the government direct the organisation to shift its focus from generating corporate documents towards improvements at frontline stations. Jaduram said firefighters and communities were entitled to better performance, while Costley described the appointment of a new chair as a positive step.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Trucks bought | 30 new trucks |
| Year purchased | 2019 |
| Ladder-truck inspection | July 2025 |
| Ladder-truck status | Still with original manufacturers |
| New chair appointed | June |
| Report body | Governance and Administration committee |
Firefighters and communities are entitled to expect better.
WHY IT MATTERS
The case shows how public vehicle procurement depends on more than buying equipment. Clear requirements, controlled design changes, contract management, delivery oversight and governance checks all affect whether an asset reaches operational service.
Reported from rnz.co.nz, 2026-09-16. The Tender Wire is published by Otnox.
