Table one: documents requested
# Document name
Document
Decision
Reason for
date
withholding
1
[Excerpt] IA202510547 Commencement of the 2026
9 December
Released in Full
N/A
FENZ Board Appointment round
2025
Excerpt from IA202510547 Commencement of the 2026 FENZ Board appointment round
Internal Affairs briefing
Hon Brooke van Velden
Minister of Internal Affairs
Title:
Commencement of the 2026 Fire and Emergency New Zealand Board
appointment round
Date:
9 December 2025
Key issues
A fees review has also been conducted for the Board to reflect the new Cabinet fees framework set
out in CO 25(2). The Department proposes that fees increase to $91,560 per annum for the Chair,
$57,000 per annum for the Deputy Chair and $45,600 for members. The PSC has been consulted on
the proposed fees and advised that al proposed fee increases have met criteria, are within the new
fee ranges and are justified.
Action sought
Timeframe
The Department of Internal Affairs recommends that you:
As soon as
agree to the proposed fees for Board members.
convenient
We have conducted a fees review to update the Board fees
14. Cabinet approved a new fees framework in 2025, set out in Cabinet circular CO 25(2):
[Cabinet Fees Framework for members appointed to bodies in which the Crown has an
interest]. Depending on how each statutory body is classified, the fee ranges have
increased between 30% and 80%.
15. Fees for Boards do not automatical y increase. A fees review must be conducted to
assess the size and scope of the statutory body and to recommend where in the range
the fees should be set. The PSC has to be consulted before a final decision is made.
16. The Department has conducted a fees review. This involved scoring the Board against
the criteria in the fees framework. The scoring confirmed that the Fire and Emergency
Board should be a Group 3A, level 2 entity under the framework.
17. The current fees are $64,150 per annum for the Chair, $31,762 per annum for the
Deputy Chair and $25,410 per annum for members.
18. The Department proposes that fees increase to $91,560 per annum for the Chair,
$57,000 per annum for the Deputy Chair and $45,600 for members, with effect from 1
April 2026.
19. Fire and Emergency have confirmed that the proposed fee increases can be afforded
from within their baseline budget.
20. The PSC has been consulted and advised that al the proposed fee increases have met
criteria, are within new fee ranges and are justified and that the Commission has no
issues with the proposal.
Recommendations
21. The Department recommends that you:
d)
agree to the proposed fee increases for the Board.
Yes/No
