Fire and Emergency NZ chief executive Kerry Gregory resigns

Fire and Emergency New Zealand chief executive Kerry Gregory has resigned, effective immediately. Board chairman Raveen Jaduram announced the departure on Friday, noting that Gregory found his position untenable following public statements from the Minister of Internal Affairs. Gregory had been on extended leave for over a month prior to his resignation.

The resignation follows claims by Minister Brooke van Velden that Gregory withheld information regarding a significant matter for a year. Van Velden stated she no longer had confidence in Gregory or the accuracy of information provided by the agency. The matter involves a referral to the Serious Fraud Office concerning the administration of the agency's levy scheme.

A Fire and Emergency spokeswoman described the SFO matter as historical, dating from before 2021, and noted that the agency made the referral rather than Gregory personally. The minister also cited various organisational issues, including payroll, fleet procurement, and collective bargaining.

Darry Purdy will continue as acting chief executive, while Megan Stiffler remains national commander. The board thanked Gregory for his 36 years of service, which included time as an operational firefighter.

How it developed

• Fri 23 Oct, 6:21pmMinister Brooke van Velden stated she was advised of the resignation by the board on Friday afternoon.

Where reports differ

• One report notes the minister described the conduct as a 'serious breach of trust', while another describes it as a 'serious breach of the no surprises principle'

Compiled from reports by NZ Herald, The Post, Stuff and Otago Daily Times.