Lack of new fire trucks probed in Parliament
New Zealand's Fire and Emergency (FENZ) agency is facing parliamentary scrutiny over delays in replacing aging fire trucks and issues with the procurement of new aerial vehicles. Lawmakers have criticized the agency's reliance on bureaucratic processes rather than delivering operational equipment.
Why it matters
The inquiry highlights concerns regarding public safety infrastructure and the efficiency of government procurement strategies.
A National MP says Fire and Emergency (FENZ) has fundamental questions it still needs to answer about replacing old fire trucks.
FENZ told a select committee inquiry on Monday it was improving procurement processes that had not been robust enough.
But Ōtaki MP Tim Costley, who helped spark the inquiry, said on Tuesday a lot of it was "platitudes".
"I've heard a lot on Monday about process and all the new documents they've written. They've gone from a 25-year strategy to a 10-year plan to a five-year strategy - they are just closing in around them.
"But actually we don't need more paper, we need more firetrucks."
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