Another CE in the gun

The Herald reports:

Minister for Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says she has lost confidence in Fire and Emergency’s chief executive Kerry Gregory, who she says kept information from her about a “seriously significant incident” for a whole year.

Speaking to media from Parliament this afternoon, van Velden revealed Fire and Emergency has been referred to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

“I have become aware of a serious breach of the no surprises within Fire and Emergency, it is of a nature that is so significant that I no longer have confidence in the chief executive of Fire and Emergency or have confidence that the information that I’m receiving is correct,” the minister said.

Wow, that is a bomb going off. A public declaration of no confidence in a CE, all but means the board must remove him. I’m fascinated by what is this information that was hidden from the Minister.

“I’m not at the ability to disclose further information, all that I can say is that within the last fortnight, I’ve been made aware that significant information was withheld from me by the chief executive of Fire and Emergency for a full year, even after he received external advice telling him that he needed to let me know.

If he had advice telling him he must inform the Minister, then who on earth did this not happen?

“I immediately contacted the board chair as well as the chief executive to let them know that I have no longer any confidence in the chief executive of Fire and Emergency,” she said.

That would not have been enjoyable calls.