Speech to the National Rural Fire Authority National Stakeholder Group Meeting

Thank you for inviting me to be here today.  As you know I am relatively new to the Internal Affairs portfolio of responsibilities, of which fire is one part.  I do have some knowledge about the fire environment, of course, having come from a rural background and being a farmer myself.  And I can certainly tell you about peat fires.  I also served on the Horowhenua District Council for eight years and picked up some knowledge in that context. 

As a new Minister, though, my impressions so far are that the sector attracts dedicated and enthusiastic people, and aims to run an effective, lean operation.  This is a great position to be in, reflecting the fact that fire services receive a large amount of community support.

There is much to learn about the sector and I am keen to listen to all views and absorb as much as I can. 

Responsibilities as Minister

It is worth remembering that my direct interest in the rural fire sector is through the role of the National Rural Fire Authority.  As Minister of Internal Affairs, I am responsible for the Fire Service Commission, and therefore also for the Commission in its capacity as the NRFA. 

I am not directly responsible for Rural Fire Authorities, which are statutory entities that are largely autonomous.  Rural Fire Authorities are for the most part accountable to the public, and, because of the connection with territorial authorities, to ratepayers in particular.  They are answerable to the communities that rely on them and fund them.

The work of the National Rural Fire Authority is nevertheless very important.  It ensures that the rural fire sector is working effectively.  It needs to support Rural Fire Authorities in carrying out their responsibilities, and providing the vital services that they do.  I am pleased to see that the Commission has increased its focus on its NRFA role in its recent Statement of Intent.

Amalgamations

The NRFA - which I shall also refer to as Rural Fire - has convened this meeting to look to the future of the sector.  It wants to engage in constructive discussion about how improvements to the sector can be made, by smaller Rural Fire Authorities voluntarily amalgamating into larger districts. 

Promoting an amalgamation framework is one of Rural Fire's strategic priorities for the next five years, and this is work that I support.  I can see the real benefits in reducing the number of our Rural Fire Authorities, which currently number 86.

Amalgamation would mean bringing together resources and capacity into a larger area, and creating a greater focus on providing professional rural fire management services.  This has to be a good step for stakeholders like yourselves, and the public, alike.

These benefits have been seen in areas where there are already enlarged rural fire districts.   And I understand from the submissions from your groups during the review of legislation, that many of you were convinced of these benefits and supported the concept of enlarged rural fire districts.

The sector, I believe, has come through a period of uncertainty. Various changes were mooted by the previous government over the years, and it wasn't really clear what was going to happen next.  But that uncertainty has passed.  You now have a fresh start. 

Looking ahead

As the key representatives of the forest and rural fire sector, you have some important work before you.  You have been given the opportunity to take a lead in this amalgamation initiative. 

These changes can deliver improvements and make things better.  But you are the ones who need to take the ‘bull by the horns' and make it happen.

It may not be that easy to decide the best way forward.  I realise that there are some substantial issues for you all to discuss and debate in this forum.  One issue is about a fair way to fund your enlarged rural fire districts.  Another is how to form the districts themselves.  Where should the boundaries lie?   

I suggest you need to consider the various land types of New Zealand, whether conservation estate, forestry or farmland.  Also the need to consider the organisations involved, including councils, forestry companies, DOC and the Fire Service. 

There are a variety of different boundary models for districts that you will need to examine.  This includes territorial or regional council boundaries, Fire Service regions, DOC conservancy areas, or a ‘fire hazardscape' mapping approach. 

In deciding the boundary model there are several important questions to think about.  How should you align the model with other boundaries that are relevant to the work of Rural Fire Authorities? 

Should the synergies that exist with other functions of councils, for example, civil defence, be recognised? When considering the kind of funding mechanisms available to Fire Authorities, what practical impact does this have on the formation of a district? 

There need to be sound, well-thought through reasons for choosing one particular boundary model over another.  It's going to be important for you to take a principled approach to questions like these. 

Above all, I believe you need to focus on what will make long-term sense.  The choices you make over the coming months are likely to set the scene for years to come.  So what you decide needs to contribute to a sensible long-term view. 

Will the amalgamation path you choose fit well with the bigger picture of how New Zealand is developing - ie the changing land use patterns?  And will it ensure that adequate resources are available to address changing risk profiles?  I urge you to be mindful of the long-term view in the discussions you will have here today and tomorrow.

However, don't be daunted!  I want to emphasise that you are not going to be left to sort out these substantial questions without assistance.  The National Rural Fire Authority has a lead role in helping you make progress. 

Also remember that there is help through the Department of Internal Affairs.  I am keen to see the Department continuing to work with the national authority and assist you as much as it can. 

It has made a contribution to this already, and developed material for A Guide to Rural Fire Authorities, which I believe you will be reviewing today.  When preparing the Guide, the Department looked at districts that are working well at the moment, such as the Southern Rural Fire District.

The Guide aims to help you by giving you a reference source, by giving a general description of Rural Fire Authorities and what they need to do.  It also has information on various topics of relevance to Rural Fire Authorities that are formed under the rural fire district model. 

These include aspects such as good practice governance principles.  I hope you find it useful.  The National Rural Fire Authority and the Department will welcome your feedback on the material and there is still time to influence its contents.  Any information on what you believe is working well in your districts now would be helpful to the process.

The Department will be providing me with regular updates on your progress.  Please keep the Authority informed on what problems and ‘fish hooks' arise.  I'm sure there will be a few as you get into the nitty-gritty detail of forming new districts.  But you have support available and I hope that you will use it.  I will be very interested to hear how things are developing.

Future reform

Of course, as Minister, I need to think about the future and the sector as a whole.  I need to think about the position of the Fire Service Commission and the various issues that it faces.  This is not only as the National Rural Fire Authority, but also in its responsibilities for governing the Fire Service.

I am well aware that the legislation has problems.  Even as you're coming up with ways to get amalgamations moving, some of these problems are going to be evident.  This is probably going to be in the area of funding.

 The mechanisms that you have available to fund enlarged fire districts are a bit antiquated in some respects and this is something I want to address at some point.  But for now, you need to make the best of what you've got.

However, I really think it's going to be important that you communicate about these issues.  Talk to the National Rural Fire Authority, talk to the Department and talk to me.   I want to know much more about the problems with the current framework, and how we should deal with them. 

The reality is that the legislation is going to need to be updated at some stage.  I am aware that there is a mismatch between the legislation and the modern working environment of fire services. 

Things have got very out-of-kilter. 

This talk of problems is very familiar to you.  But it cannot simply be left in the ‘too hard' basket.  We must ensure that the proper statutory supports are in place for such critical services.  Not only in your work in responding to fires, but also in managing risk. 

Everyone is talking about climate change and how it will affect New Zealand over the next 50 years.  It is forecast that parts of the country will get hotter and drier.  No surprise, then, that the risk of wildfires will increase as well.  We need to provide you with the proper tools to deal with this risk.  It seems to me that 21^st century legislation will be needed to deal with a 21^st century problem.

Concluding remarks

Realistically legislative reforms are some time away.  I think we have to give this amalgamation process, led by the National Rural Fire Authority, a chance to come up with results. 

So I come back to my original point.  This period ahead is a fresh start, and a time for you to use this opportunity to make real, tangible improvements to forest and rural fire management.  This is something you have control over.  And it gives you the chance to think about what should happen in any future phase of more fundamental legislative change.  I shall watch your progress with great interest! 

I look forward to talking to you all and hearing your views.  I wish you well for your meeting.  Thank you.