Fire and Emergency NZ has failed to improve its workplace culture, according to an independent review released today.
The review, led by Belinda Clark, found that "poor behaviours remain and need to be addressed urgently" at the organisation.
It does recognise that FENZ adopted all 33 recommendations from a similar review just three years ago, but that it has failed to enact real change.
It also found that the Behaviour and Conduct Office (BCO) set up to respond to complaints and improve workplace behaviour "fell short of its goals" and says there needs to be "stronger leadership at all levels".
The review found two-thirds of open complaints made to the BCO are more than 5 months old, with more than a third (35%) of them more than a year old.
FENZ board chair Rebecca Keoghan says the organisation accepts the findings and recommendations.
She says "the review confirmed we have good foundations, and it recognised we have made progress and acted on all fronts to address the recommendations of the 2019 Shaw review".
"But we have still fallen short in terms of implementation and where we need to be. It's clear that much more needs to be done to effect the change to address poor attitudes and behaviours that still exist within the organisation.
Among recommendations, the review also suggested establishing an independent Advisory Committee to support FENZ to achieve cultural change, for at least a three-year period.'
In 2019, Judge Coral Shaw found widespread issues within the organisation.
At the time Shaw wrote: "There is no doubt that bullying and harassment is a feature of the FENZ workplace at all levels and across all regions".
Since then though issues have continued to be raised with media and government departments about FENZ's culture and how it handles complaints, prompting today's review.
Earlier this year 1News revealed complaints to FENZ about issues like bullying and harassment have tripled in recent years.
In 2018 there were 31 complaints and last year that had grown to 108.
Some complaints were taking a long time to resolve with 16 still open after a year. One complaint from 5 years ago still remained unresolved.
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