NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Independence of investigation into volunteer firefighters' association questioned

RNZ
8 Sep, 2020 09:11 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

United Fire Brigades' Association chief executive Bill Butzbach has been stood down while an investigation is underway. Photo: UFBA CEO Bill Butzbach.

United Fire Brigades' Association chief executive Bill Butzbach has been stood down while an investigation is underway. Photo: UFBA CEO Bill Butzbach.

By Rachel Thomas of RNZ

Doubt is being cast on the level of independence in an investigation against the head of the United Fire Brigades' Association (UFBA).

The chief executive, Bill Butzbach, has been stood down while barrister Kristy McDonald conducts the investigation into claims of bullying and harassment.

But the board of the UFBA is deciding the terms, which remain secret, and people wishing to raise complaints are being triaged through the association.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Meanwhile, more firefighters have come forward to reveal what they say is a culture of harassment and bullying in Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ).

For one firefighter, her abuse started with lewd comments, jokes when she bent down, a few slaps on the bottom.

The volunteer, who spoke to RNZ on the condition of anonymity, detailed how the harassment escalated over more than 15 years in volunteer brigades.

"I was pulled into secluded corners and forcibly kissed. I had my hand put down people's pants and held on top of their penises.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"On one occasion my bum was bitten in front of a room full of people. I may have been talking to someone else and he ran up behind me and bit me. Although I laughed at the time it gave me quite a fright and the teethmarks were visible for days afterwards, even through my clothing. They'd almost broken the skin."

The biting incident happened more than seven years ago, and she's since moved to a brigade where things are better.

She never complained about the abuse. She had no confidence that management were serious about addressing complaints and didn't want to leave a job she loved.

"My options were to put up with this behaviour and laugh it off, or to leave.

Discover more

New Zealand|crime

Support group for sexually abused firefighters

24 Jun 05:51 AM
New Zealand

'I was in mortal danger': Recruit recounts 'inadequate, dangerous' fire training

07 Sep 01:15 AM

"There was absolutely no point in fighting it because this is the way that volunteer fire brigades were, and if I wanted to fit in in a boys club then I had to act like one of the boys, except put up with the sexual harassment when it happened as well."

Two unrelated and separate allegations of sexual harassment and bullying against Butzbach are being investigated.

But while the UFBA said that investigation was independent, the terms of reference are being decided by the board of seven - six of whom are men.

Complaints and terms of reference

Volunteer firefighter John Klaphake asked the acting UFBA chief executive, Richie Smith, how someone would add their voice to the investigation. The reply from Smith was: send complaints to me directly.

"As soon as it's passing through any particular organisation or body, then you're running the risk of your confidentiality made less confidential."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Klaphake, also the former president of the New Zealand Fire Brigades' Institute, then asked the UFBA for the terms of reference and was told they were private.

"If it's going to be a robust investigation then I think the terms of reference need to be open, fair and objective and that people can see them."

Judith Stanley was the first woman to be elected to the board of the UFBA and one of three people responsible for hiring Butzbach.

She remembered asking whether reference checks should be done, and was brushed aside.

"I just asked if there was a criteria we should check against or if we were going to do referee checks and I was told it wasn't necessary, and Bill was appointed. I also realised at that point that I was the minority [on the board]."

She did one term before deciding not to stand again, saying she felt bullied and demeaned by management.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Stanley had concerns the board was too involved in the investigation already.

"At the moment it seems like there is a triage process run by the UFBA.

"I think the board needs to resign. They have been unable to be impartial on this matter and they've known too long and hidden it for too long and proven that they can't be transparent and accountable in this process."

Smith declined to be interviewed but, in a statement, said: "This inquiry by Kristy McDonald QC is being conducted in relation to two specific historic complaints. The inquiry is currently under way and I must stress the need for privacy and confidentiality for the protection of all individuals involved and the integrity of the process.

"Until the inquiry is concluded the UFBA board is unable to comment further."

Butzbach did not respond to requests for comment.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

RNZ requested comment from FENZ chief executive Rhys Jones and was sent a statement provided last week, stating FENZ had not seen the terms of reference.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

'Horrible and disrespectful': Memorial for Johnson destroyed in fire

08 Jul 10:16 PM
New Zealand

Calls to close NZ's largest orange roughy fishery

08 Jul 10:00 PM
Lifestyle

The secret sauce of the bar named NZ's best

08 Jul 10:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

'Horrible and disrespectful': Memorial for Johnson destroyed in fire

'Horrible and disrespectful': Memorial for Johnson destroyed in fire

08 Jul 10:16 PM

The family says the roadside memorial was their way to cope with the tragic loss.

Calls to close NZ's largest orange roughy fishery

Calls to close NZ's largest orange roughy fishery

08 Jul 10:00 PM
The secret sauce of the bar named NZ's best

The secret sauce of the bar named NZ's best

08 Jul 10:00 PM
Wellington Opera brings historic tale of Rotorua soldier to life

Wellington Opera brings historic tale of Rotorua soldier to life

08 Jul 09:46 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP