13 May 2026
45 Pipitea Street, Thorndon, Wel ington 6011
PO Box 805, Wel ington
Phone: 04 495 7200
Peter Campbell
Email
: [email address]
[FYI request #34348 email]
Website: dia.govt.nz
Tēnā koe Peter,
Your Official Information Act 1982 request, reference OIA 2526-1116
I am responding to your request made under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act)
which was partial y transferred to the Department of Internal Affairs (the Department) on
14 April 2026. The following was transferred to the Department for response:
Board Members’ Pay
As a levy payer, I would like to understand the documented rationale or benefits behind
the significant increase in board members’ remuneration. Please provide any relevant
documentation from the last three months, including information on how this increase
was prioritized over other urgent needs, such as fleet replacement, given FENZ’s stated
budget constraint.
Response to your request
As there are no documents in scope of your partial y transferred request, the request is
refused in full under section 18(e) of the Act, that the document al eged to contain the
information requested does not exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be
found. However, to provide further context in relation to the increases, I am providing this
written response.
The increase in Board members’ remuneration reflects both system-wide changes to public
sector board fees and the specific governance demands associated with Fire and Emergency
New Zealand (Fire and Emergency).
On 14 July 2025, Cabinet agreed to update fee ranges within the Cabinet Fees Framework.
These changes were made to better align public sector board remuneration with market
conditions and to support the attraction and retention of suitably qualified board members.
The revised Framework establishes the parameters within which individual boards are
assessed.
Within this Framework, Fire and Emergency’s Board has been assessed as operating at a high
level of scale, complexity, and public accountability. The Board is responsible for
high-consequence decision-making relating to expenditure, prioritisation, risk management,
and the nationwide delivery of critical emergency services. The scale of the organisation’s
budget and its extensive operational responsibilities are considered the most appropriate
indicators of the Board’s overall scale.
Fire and Emergency also operate in a complex statutory and highly public-facing
environment. It is responsible for delivering fire and emergency services across New
Zealand, as well as for overseeing regulatory functions relating to fire safety and compliance.
The Board must ensure effective organisational performance, oversee a significant public
asset base, manage substantial risks, and provide strategic stewardship in an environment
subject to sustained public, media, and stakeholder scrutiny.
The remuneration level reflects the capability, experience, and time commitment required
to discharge these responsibilities effectively. In practice, Board members are required to
commit time beyond standard expectations and bring expertise in governance, financial
oversight, risk management, and large-scale public service delivery.
In accordance with the Cabinet Fee Framework, the factors considered in setting the fees
include:
• the scale, complexity, and responsibility of the role,
• the skills and experience required,
• recruitment and retention considerations,
• the organisation’s public profiles and associated reputational risks, and
• affordability with existing baselines.
Board remuneration is set in accordance with the Cabinet Fees Framework and is considered
separately from operational funding and budget management decisions. Decisions relating
to Board fees do not form part of, and are not used to offset, operational savings or service
delivery changes.
Board remuneration does not affect funding for frontline service delivery. The previous
review of Fire and Emergency Board fees took place in 2019. The updated fees reflect both
the revised Cabinet Fees Framework and the evolving scale and complexity of the
organisation’s governance responsibilities.
Further information on the Cabinet Fees Framework is available at:
www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/co-25-2-cabinet-fees-framework-members-appointed-
bodies-which-crown-has-interest#cabinet-fees-framework-for-members-appointed-to-
bodies-in-which-the-crown-has-an-interest
Accessing the Ombudsman
You have the right to seek an investigation and review of my decision by the Office of the
Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Mark Batt
Director Branch Performance
Policy and Te Tiriti
