Election-Year cash splash will not hide Government failure on firefighters

OPINION: Winston Peters is celebrating a multimillion-dollar funding boost for Hato Hone St John, where New Zealand First is supposedly ensuring emergency services get what they need. The Government confirmed more than $21 million in extra funding for St John, lifting total ambulance funding to nearly $357 million this financial year.

Ambulance crews deserve proper investment. Sure. Nobody disputes that. But where is the same urgency for firefighters forced to frontline emergencies in ageing fire trucks that should have been replaced years ago?

Advertisement
    
    This ad is not available right now due to a network issue or pending review with the Google Advertisement Network. Please check back later.
  
    Advertisement
    Why this ad?
      
        Advertising revenue keeps articles from thisquality free to read. Ads are personalised by Google, not us. Thank you for your support! 🎉

Image: Winston Peters is seen alongside Casey Costello and Simeon Brown during a Hato Hone St John funding announcement as the Government ramps up frontline spending promises in an election cycle, while firefighters continue waiting for overdue investment in ageing fire appliances. (Supplied / New Zealand First)

This is the telling contradiction of Peters’ “New Zealand First” branding. NZ First boasts about backing frontline services and infrastructure investment, while firefighters across the country continue working with deteriorating appliances and mounting fleet reliability concerns.

But the truth is pretty bleak. The Government can ‘suddenly’ find millions of dollars for headline-grabbing announcements when political pressure builds during an election year. It can flood social media with statements about protecting New Zealanders.

To the contrary, one of the country’s most critical emergency services still has not seen the decisive intervention needed to modernise its ageing Fire and Emergency appliance fleet.

Advertisement
    
    This ad is not available right now due to a network issue or pending review with the Google Advertisement Network. Please check back later.
  
    Advertisement
    Why this ad?
      
        Advertising revenue keeps articles from thisquality free to read. Ads are personalised by Google, not us. Thank you for your support! 🎉

Firefighters are are the crews entering burning homes, responding to serious crashes, protecting rural communities and supporting medical emergencies every day. When fire appliances break down or become unreliable, public safety suffers directly.

Image: New MAN Angloco Type 3 fire appliance equipped with advanced electronic pressure control and multi-point pump operation, pictured during Fire and Emergency New Zealand training exercises. (Supplied / Angelus Parker)

That is why the Government’s silence on replacing outdated trucks is becoming impossible to defend.

Frontline services are essential for every Kiwi to know they are safe and looked after. If that was true, then firefighters should already have guaranteed long-term fleet replacement funding instead of repeated delays and excuses.

Suddenly the Government says emergency services are crucial when votes are on the line. Funding announcements appear and the politicians behind them claim credit for frontline workers who are actually under immense pressures due to lack of action. As a result, the deeper structural failures remain untouched.

If New Zealand First and the coalition truly stood for putting New Zealanders first, firefighters would not still be waiting for modern frontline equipment while ministers celebrate selective spending announcements as the election approaches.

Support Brief Banner

Keep independent journalism going.

We are independent and committed to bringing authentic reporting to the people.

Advertisement
    
    This ad is not available right now due to a network issue or pending review with the Google Advertisement Network. Please check back later.
  
    Advertisement
    Why this ad?
      
        Advertising revenue keeps articles from thisquality free to read. Ads are personalised by Google, not us. Thank you for your support! 🎉

thisquality is built for the people and powered by their support. People like you reading this free article help us remain a strong and independent platform within New Zealand's media landscape.

I'd like to donate

About thisquality

Advertisement

Advertisement Why this ad? Advertising revenue keeps articles from thisquality free to read. Ads are personalised by Google, not us. Thank you for your support! 🎉