MP urges Fire and Emergency boss to ‘front up’ after manager quits amid probe

A frustrated MP has called on Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s boss to “front up” about questions over the resignation of its fleet manager amid a parliamentary inquiry into the state of its fleet.

MPs from the governance and administration committee have grilled Fire and Emergency executives and management over a four-month inquiry into the fire service’s ageing fleet.

After the final select committee hearing in Parliament on Monday, National MP for Ōtaki and committee deputy chairman Tim Costley told the Herald the inquiry has raised “some really significant questions”, many of which Fire and Emergency haven’t been able to answer.

Some of those unanswered questions related to the resignation of the two people in charge of the fleet: national manager Mike Moran and deputy chief executive Sarah Sinclair.

The committee heard on Monday that Fire and Emergency “accepted” the resignation of both during the inquiry process, with chief executive Kerry Gregory failing to answer whether the long-serving Moran had been provided with an “exit package” that was greater than his holiday pay, despite being asked multiple times.

Gregory said Sinclair didn’t receive “any extra remunerations”, but he failed to answer questions about Moran.

He was also unable to answer whether Moran served his full notice period before leaving.

The committee said it had hoped to speak to Moran in Monday’s hearing before the “surprise” resignation.

Speaking to the Herald on Tuesday, Costley said it was another example of Fire and Emergency creating “more questions than it gives answers”.

National MP for Ōtaki and governance and administration committee deputy chairman Tim Costley. Photo / Mark Mitchell

“I’ve heard a lot of concern from firefighters around the country about that individual [Moran], about their background prior to arriving at Fire and Emergency and then the work they had done within Fire and Emergency.

“I’ve never spoken to them and I haven’t had the chance to ask them questions … I think it would be wholly unpopular across the country if it turned out they had been given an exit package.

“Were they effectively asked to leave by Fire and Emergency and given a payout to send them on their way? Did they choose to jump before they got pushed but were given some money? If they weren’t given any extra money, why didn’t they just come out and say that?”

Costley said Moran and Sinclair, who were responsible for Fire and Emergency’s fleet during the inquiry, “never once came to any of these hearings”.

“I think there’s some genuine questions that could be put to the chief executive there and he needs to front up and answer.”

Fire and Emergency New Zealand executives Megan Stiffler (from left), Kerry Gregory and Darryl Purdy during Monday's select committee hearing. Photo / NZ Parliament

Costley said the key takeaways after Monday’s final hearing include:

• Fire and Emergency ordered 30 fire engines seven years ago, but none are currently in use because of various issues.
• It selected British company Angloco to build those but had not trialled any of the engines.
• It paid for two prototype appliances from two different companies but didn’t test them.
• Twelve of those 30 engines have not been accepted by Fire and Emergency but it couldn’t tell the committee why.
• Several aerial trucks passed Fire and Emergency’s final inspection in July 2025, but “here we are a year later, they’re still doing more final inspections”.
• It created a four-year programme of “changing how they did procurement” before abandoning it in year four.

Costley also questioned if Fire and Emergency’s board had been doing its job.

“The board, with all these issues about, for example, the 30 fire trucks that were meant to be coming from the UK, since 2023 have not asked one single question about them. There is no evidence to show that they’ve even discussed this in any board meeting.

“I think there’s a genuine question as to what the board have been doing and if they have the right people and the right skills and experience on that board moving forward.”

Since the inquiry began, former chairwoman Rebecca Keoghan left the board and was replaced by ex-Watercare head Raveen Jaduram.