Building resilience in New Zealand before disaster strikes

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By Anna Lopata As insurance affordability worsens and climate risks grow, New Zealand's review of Fire and Emergency funding is prompting a larger question: how should the country invest in resilience before disasters strike? A review with implications beyond fire...

22 Jun 2026

4 mins read

Building resilience in New Zealand before disaster strikes

Summary

The Government is reviewing whether the FENZ levy remains fair and fit for purpose.

Rising insurance costs are increasing pressure on a funding model tied to insurance participation.

The debate raises broader questions about how New Zealand funds resilience and disaster prevention.

Overseas examples separate emergency response funding from long-term resilience investment.

The review presents an opportunity to rethink protection, not just emergency services funding.
IMAGE: The Netherlands has invested for decades in flood resilience infrastructure, treating disaster prevention as a long-term national priority rather than a post-disaster expense.

By Anna Lopata

As insurance affordability worsens and climate risks grow, New Zealand’s review of Fire and Emergency funding is prompting a larger question: how should the country invest in resilience before disasters strike?

A review with implications beyond fire and emergency

The Government’s review of how Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) is funded is officially focused on whether a levy collected through insurance premiums remains the fairest and most sustainable way to fund emergency services.

Yet the debate it has triggered points to a bigger question.

Cyclone Gabrielle left a trail of destruction across the North Island in 2023, washing away roads, isolating communities and causing billions of dollars in damage. For insurers, governments and households, the disaster became a stark reminder of New Zealand’s growing exposure to natural hazards.

Recovery costs mounted into the billions, but far less attention was paid to the question of whether more could have been done before the storm arrived.