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WELLINGTON - Fire Service Commission members who served under former chairman Roger Estall are likely to lose their positions.
Prime Minister Helen Clark says in a letter to the Professional Firefighters Union that the members will be replaced.
The commission itself, a Crown entity which reports to the Minister of Internal Affairs,
is also under threat as a new Ministry of Emergency Services is planned.
"The commission, and related legislation, will be superfluous when the Ministry of Emergency Services comes into being," says the Clark letter, dated September 22, when she was Opposition leader.
"In the interim, members of the Estall commission will be replaced with appropriate people."
The four-strong commission is made up of chairwoman Dame Margaret Bazley, Brian Stanley, Neville Young and Dr Roger Blakeley, who sits on the commission because he is Secretary of Internal Affairs.
Mr Stanley, the deputy chairman, was appointed on December 16, 1998, and Mr Young on April 1, 1999, so both served under Mr Estall, who resigned last May 18.
Dr Blakeley's position also appears fragile because officials want the ex officio position removed because it "creates a significant conflict of interest."
As Internal Affairs Secretary it is his job to monitor the commission and supply the minister with policy advice.
The jobs of acting chief executive Alison Timms and National Commander Ken Harper, brought over from Ireland for the job in January last year, also appear to be in doubt.
"I expect that we will be able to bring together the roles of chief executive and national commander and that may ensure that the head of the service is an experienced firefighter," Helen Clark wrote in the letter.
Labour proposes a new Ministry of Emergency Services with responsibility for the Fire Service and Civil Defence.
A spokesman for Internal Affairs Minister Mark Burton said the "structure" of the commission and an Emergency Services Ministry would be considered at a later date, but settling the long-running Fire Service dispute was his priority.
Firefighters Union president Derek Best said the Fire Service already had a role in accidents and civil defence matters and he would welcome this being formalised and given resources.
He was also keen to see removed those commission members associated with Mr Estall.
- NZPA
