Firefighters and members of the United Fire Brigades’ Association (UFBA) will gather outside Parliament to hand over a petition calling for changes to the ACC legislation for volunteer firefighters.

The Fighting for Fairness petition, with its 36,000 plus signatures, will be handed to opposition ACC spokesperson Camilla Belich who will present it to the House on Thursday afternoon.

The 36,000 New Zealanders who signed the petition want volunteer firefighters to receive the same ACC coverage as their paid counterparts. Local firefighters support the petition. Read here to see what they had to say.

Queenstown Volunteer Fire Brigade secretary Katherine Lamont launched the Fighting for Fairness petition in March this year after watching a colleague struggle with post-traumatic stress (PTSD) disorder.

“They attended a really distressing callout and after that the PTSD set in. They were unable to work and had no financial support. I witnessed the impact this had on their life, and I had to do something,” Lamont says.

“Volunteers are not covered for mental trauma or gradual workplace illness through ACC because they are not paid. That’s not just unfair, it’s a failure to recognise what our volunteer firefighters endure.”

Queenstown Volunteer Fire Brigade secretary and petition organiser Katherine Lamont. Photo / Supplied

Lamont said she could no longer stand back and watch other volunteer firefighters suffer as a result of their community involvement

“Every day, volunteer firefighters stand together with their paid colleagues, facing the same trauma, and the same risks. But when they’re injured or suffer mentally because of that service, they’re treated differently.

“Changing the legislation would acknowledge the incredible contribution of this special group of people. Volunteer firefighters give so much of themselves to this role. This change would give them the support they deserve. When they need help, help needs to be available,” Lamont said.

Firsthand impact

Kelly Bennetto has seen firsthand the impact having no ACC support can have on a loved one who is a volunteer firefighter serving their community.

Her dad, Ian Bennetto, was a Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade volunteer when a call out to a car accident resulted in him contracting Hepatitis C after handling a patient in 1991, a time when there was no cure for the disease.

“What followed was years of failed experimental treatments and drug trials. He was forced to take time off work from his drain laying business and suffered financially as a consequence,” Kelly Bennetto said.

Ian Bennetto turned to ACC and the Fire Service for support and while ACC accepted the accident happened, he was told he wasn’t entitled to support because he was not paid by the fire service.

Pironga Volunteer Brigade firefighter Jodi Reymer, who is a full-time farmer in Te Awamutu, said the work volunteer firefighters do can impact their whole lives and jobs, something that deserves more recognition.

“We’re doing the same jobs and we need the same support,” she said.

UFBA board chair Peter Dunne said volunteer firefighters were driven by a selfless commitment to their communities and their role often went unseen and underappreciated.

UFBA Chair Hon. Peter Dunne. Photo / Supplied

“The UFBA fully supports Katherine’s petition as it aligns with the UFBA’s years of advocating for this important change for volunteer firefighters. We are delighted to hand this over to Camilla Belich, to present this to Parliament.” Dunne said.

“Volunteers make up 86 per cent of the Fire and Emergency frontline workforce and are the first responders to most emergencies across 93 per cent of the country’s land mass.

“They are our farmers, teachers, retailers and tradespeople who answer the call to duty, leaving their daily lives behind to face emergencies head-on, sometimes at great costs to themselves, their families and their employers,” he said.

“It’s clear volunteer firefighters deserve the same protection as their paid counterparts. The 36,000 Kiwis who signed Katherine’s petition have sent our politicians a clear message that shouldn’t be ignored.”

ACC policies

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s accident compensation policy manager Bridget Duley said the no-fault scheme provides broad-based cover to everyone in New Zealand who is injured in an accident.

“Under ACC, volunteer firefighters are eligible for this type of cover, which includes any physical injuries they suffer on the job such as scrapes, sprains, broken bones or head injuries.

“Where a physical injury causes a mental injury, the mental injury is eligible for cover if the physical injury is already covered under ACC.”

For example, if a volunteer firefighter received cover following an accident where they fell and suffered a spinal injury, they may also be eligible for mental injury cover if it could be proven that they subsequently developed depression as a result of their physical injury.

“ACC also provides additional types of cover that are specific to paid employment, including cover for work-related mental injuries and occupational diseases.

“These types of cover are available only when the injury is caused by paid work. Work-related claims are funded by employers based on their payroll. As volunteers are not reflected as employees in workplace payroll systems, funding additional cover in a fair way may require changes to how ACC levies are collected.”

Duley said past expansions to the Accident Compensation Scheme to cover different mental injuries have been carefully considered to ensure they remain accident-related and balance the interests of ACC levy payers and considerations around financial sustainability.

Future reforms

“Any future reforms would need to consider the benefits of ACC support to people suffering from mental harm alongside costs to levy payers and the Government, and the impacts on the mental health workforce.

“It is important to note that those in volunteer roles can still access mental and other health services via the health system.

“As the petition is currently ongoing, I won’t be able to comment specifically but I will be following the process.”

Government response

Scott Simpson, the Minister for ACC, said he acknowledges the volunteers in emergency services who make an incredibly important and selfless contribution to communities around New Zealand.

Minister for ACC Scott Simpson.

“I acknowledge the efforts of those who are raising awareness of this issue that is close to their hearts. There is a process for petitions made to Parliament, and I will be watching that as it takes place.”