Tisch Lindsay: General Debate 
Tisch Lindsay: General Debate 
[Volume:623;Page:18683] 
LINDSAY TISCH (National—Piako) 
: 
 There is a major issue brewing in rural areas that affects the lives and security of many many people. A cloud is starting to develop that this Government will have to take responsibility for. I refer to the news of the last few days about the cut-back in fire appliances and fire trucks in regional areas. Here we have a headline “Brigades fear trucks could go in shakeup”. The Minister then comes out and says: “Burton denies plans to cut fire engines.” In the same article the Fire Service national operations director Steve Turek said on Monday that it was possible some fire stations may lose fire engines. So who is right? The Minister said that there will be no cuts or reductions yet the operations manager said that there will possibly be some cuts. 
I have asked some parliamentary questions about this issue. One question was: “Does the Fire Service intend to reduce the number of Fire Trucks …?”. The answer came back from the Minister: “I am advised that it does not.” In another question I asked: “If there is a reduction in the number of Fire Trucks … how many will be involved and at what locations?”. The Minister said I should refer back to what he had stated previously. I have a document about the fleet strategy which I intend to table after this debate. The New Zealand Fire Service’s fleet strategy states: “The initial application of this strategy shows that over the first five years 54 new appliances will be introduced. This will stimulate the relocation of 250 appliances and a condition report for 136 appliances.” That document states that there will be a relocation of appliances and the Minister has said that there will not be one—which is right? Is the Fire Service right in saying that it will relocate fire appliances or is the Minister sticking to his denial as he did in the newspaper today of any cut in the number of fire engines? 
This is a serious matter. The Fire Service fleet strategy report further states: “Appliance relocations and disposals will be inevitable as we work to get the actual fleet allocation aligned with the authorised fleet establishment.” It is quite clearly the intention of the Fire Service to reduce the number of fire appliances. In fact I am told that that figure could be as high as 143 fire appliances. Where will they come from? They will come from the small rural brigades that are at the forefront of fighting fires and looking after our interests. They are the first to arrive at the site of accidents yet this Government has no respect for the commitment and contribution that volunteer firefighters make to New Zealand. There are 11000 of those people. They give up their time. They are at the forefront. This Government is sticking it to them and saying that their contribution is not recognised and not worthy. 
This draft report on the fleet strategy also states under the heading “Barriers to overcome”: “Barriers that need to be addressed as part of this strategy include: The existing fleet allocation needs to be reshuffled in the best interests of our service and the people we protect. This will require management commitment tact and diplomacy.” There it is. The Fire Service is saying it will do that yet the Minister said in answer to my written questions that there would be no reduction in or relocation of appliances and in the paper today also said that there would be no relocations. 
I have here the Transalpine fleet strategy dated 16 July 2004. That presentation made by fire managers identifies exactly where the machines are placed in the Transalpine fleet area and what will happen to them. I will table it because it clearly articulates and shows that the Government will move to reduce them. People’s lives are at stake and the Government will be held accountable. 
I seek leave to table two documents. The first is the New Zealand Fire Service’s fleet strategy. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
LINDSAY TISCH 
: The second document is the Transalpine fleet strategy report of 16 July 2004. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.