Raveen Jaduram Appointed as New Chair of Fire and Emergency Board

New Zealand Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden has announced the appointment of experienced governance leader Raveen Jaduram as the new Chair of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) Board, reinforcing the government’s focus on accountability, financial oversight, and operational performance within the country’s emergency response system.

Jaduram succeeds Rebecca Keoghan MNZM, who served as Board Chair since July 2021 after previously holding the role of Deputy Chair from June 2019.

The appointment comes at a time when Fire and Emergency New Zealand continues managing growing operational pressures, infrastructure investment needs, and organizational reforms aimed at strengthening frontline emergency services nationwide.

Government Emphasizes Accountability and Financial Oversight

Announcing the appointment, Minister Brooke van Velden stressed the critical role Fire and Emergency New Zealand plays in protecting communities across the country.

She noted that the organization provides essential frontline emergency services relied upon by all New Zealanders and is funded primarily through levies collected from insured properties.

Because of the public importance of the agency and its funding structure, the Minister emphasized that the Board is expected to maintain:

• Strong accountability

• Responsible financial management

• High service-delivery standards

• Effective operational oversight

Van Velden said the Board must exercise “active and rigorous governance” over major investments, particularly regarding fire appliances and emergency infrastructure.

Focus on Long-Term Investment Planning

A major priority highlighted by the Minister is the management of Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s long-term investment pipeline.

The government expects the Board to ensure that investments in:

• Fire appliances

• Emergency equipment

• Operational capability

• Infrastructure systems

are aligned with:

• Operational requirements

• Financial affordability

• System-wide capability

• Value for money for levy payers

Emergency services agencies globally are facing increasing pressure to modernize equipment and infrastructure while managing tight public budgets and evolving climate-related risks.

New Zealand’s emergency response system has also faced growing challenges from:

• Wildfires

• Severe weather events

• Urban growth

• Population changes

• Infrastructure demands

The government says strategic long-term planning will be essential for maintaining effective emergency response capability nationwide.

Board Chair Seen as Key Leadership Role

Minister van Velden emphasized that the Board Chair plays a central role in ensuring effective governance and organizational accountability.

According to the Minister, the Chair is responsible for ensuring the Board properly holds:

• The Chief Executive

• Senior leadership

• Operational management

accountable for:

• Organizational performance

• Financial management

• Strategic delivery

• Service quality

Strong governance is considered particularly important for emergency management organizations because of their responsibility for public safety and operational readiness.

Raveen Jaduram Brings Extensive Governance Experience

The government highlighted Jaduram’s extensive background in governance, infrastructure oversight, and leadership in complex operating environments.

According to the Minister, his experience includes:

• Strategic leadership

• Financial oversight

• Capital programme management

• Infrastructure governance

• System stewardship

He has also worked closely with:

• Government ministers

• Central agencies

• Local government bodies

Officials say this experience will help strengthen Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s governance capacity during a period of continued operational and organizational development.

Jaduram is particularly recognized for overseeing complex, capital-intensive systems and managing operations within politically and regulatorily challenging environments.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand Plays Critical National Role

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is one of the country’s most important public safety institutions.

The organization is responsible for:

• Firefighting services

• Emergency response

• Rescue operations

• Hazardous substance incidents

• Natural disaster response

• Community fire prevention

The agency operates across urban and rural areas and plays a central role during emergencies such as:

• Wildfires

• Floods

• Storms

• Earthquakes

• Industrial accidents

Climate change and increasingly severe weather events are placing additional demands on emergency response agencies globally, including in New Zealand.

Rebecca Keoghan Praised for Leadership During Transition

Minister van Velden also paid tribute to outgoing Chair Rebecca Keoghan for her service during what she described as a critical period for the organization.

Keoghan led the Board during Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s post-amalgamation phase following the 2017 merger that created the unified national fire and emergency service.

The Minister credited her with helping:

• Strengthen organizational structures

• Advance workplace culture reforms

• Improve organizational integrity

• Support institutional consolidation

The amalgamation process brought together urban and rural fire services into a single national organization, one of the largest structural reforms in New Zealand’s emergency management sector.

Workplace Culture and Organizational Reform Remain Important

Fire and Emergency New Zealand has spent recent years working to improve internal culture and organizational systems following several reviews highlighting issues related to:

• Workplace culture

• Bullying

• Harassment

• Staff well-being

• Organizational accountability

The Board has been expected to oversee reforms aimed at improving:

• Staff safety

• Leadership standards

• Diversity and inclusion

• Organizational integrity

Government officials continue to stress the importance of maintaining public trust and ensuring the agency remains capable of delivering high-quality emergency services nationwide.

Emergency Services Facing Growing Operational Demands

Emergency response organizations across New Zealand are facing increasing pressures linked to:

• Climate-related disasters

• Population growth

• Aging infrastructure

• Technological modernization

• Funding constraints

Recent years have seen more frequent and intense:

• Wildfires

• Flooding events

• Severe storms

• Civil emergencies

These challenges have intensified discussions around long-term resilience planning and investment in emergency response systems.

The government expects Fire and Emergency New Zealand to maintain strong operational readiness while also ensuring financial sustainability and efficient use of public funds.

Governance Seen as Critical for Public Confidence

Public agencies responsible for emergency services are increasingly expected to demonstrate:

• Transparency

• Fiscal responsibility

• Strategic planning

• Performance accountability

The Minister’s remarks suggest the government intends to maintain strong oversight of how Fire and Emergency New Zealand manages:

• Public funding

• Capital investment

• Service delivery

• Organizational performance

Leadership at the Board level is viewed as central to ensuring those expectations are met.

New Chair Takes Role During Key Period

Jaduram’s appointment comes during a period of continued transformation and operational pressure for Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

The organization must balance:

• Frontline emergency response capability

• Workforce reforms

• Infrastructure modernization

• Financial management

• Climate resilience planning

Officials say experienced governance leadership will be essential for navigating these overlapping challenges while maintaining public confidence in one of New Zealand’s most critical public safety institutions.

As the country faces increasingly complex emergency risks, the role of Fire and Emergency New Zealand — and the effectiveness of its governance — is expected to remain under close national attention.