Dr Daniel Tulloch has been appointed to the board of Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) the government has confirmed.
Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden announced the appointment, highlighting Tulloch’s background in sustainable finance and risk management as integral to supporting the board’s governance and fiscal oversight.
“I am pleased to announce that Dr Daniel Tulloch has been appointed for a three-year term of office,” she said. “Dr Tulloch is a sustainable finance adviser, with a deep understanding of finance, financial stewardship, sustainability, and risk management.”
Dr. Tulloch’s professional history spans both public and private sectors, where he has contributed to sustainable finance, strategic planning, and governance. He previously held advisory roles with the Commerce Commission and the Treasury, focusing on asset management and long-term financial planning.
van Velden noted that Tulloch’s appointment is intended to reinforce FENZ’s goals of fiscal prudence and effective service delivery.
“I am confident that Dr Tulloch’s appointment will support the board to meet my expectations that Fire and Emergency demonstrates a high level of accountability by being fiscally prudent and ensuring sufficient standards of service delivery,” she said.
The board, established to oversee FENZ’s financial and operational management, plays a critical role in ensuring accountability to policyholders and the government.
FENZ, largely funded through levies on insurance policyholders as well as Crown contributions, has faced scrutiny over its budget and expenditure.
“It is important that the board holds Fire and Emergency’s senior leadership accountable for organisational performance, financial management, and the delivery of strategic outcomes,” van Velden said.
In a recent funding review, the government revised FENZ’s planned levy increase. Originally set for a 5.2% rise by 2026, the increase has now been scaled back to 2.2%.
van Velden also directed FENZ to implement $60 million in budget savings over the next three years to build reserves for unforeseen costs or shortfalls in levy collection.
This revised increase follows a 12.8% levy adjustment implemented in July, part of a plan to address rising operational expenses. These include fire station upgrades, addressing seismic vulnerabilities, and maintaining aging equipment.
While the levy adjustments seek to balance funding needs with financial relief for policyholders, they reflect ongoing pressures on FENZ’s budget.
FENZ, which receives 97% of its budget from insurance levies, will now work under these revised financial conditions.
