A Green Party member’s bill would make it easier for firefighters diagnosed with work-related cancers to receive ACC support, ensuring they can focus on their health rather than fighting a complex legal system.
Under current rules, Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) firefighters must provide an evidence-based assessment proving their cancer resulted from exposure to carcinogens on the job.
Green MP Mike Davidson (Ngāi Tahu), who drafted the bill, said this requirement places an unfair burden on firefighters at one of the most difficult points in their lives.
“There’s so much work that they have to do, trawl through all of their previous work history to try and locate a fire that caused the cancer,” Davidson said.
“So, we’re shifting that onus onto ACC, which is where it should lie. It’s exactly the same with what’s done in many countries around the world, and that’s the fair thing to do for firefighters.”
The bill would shift that burden by introducing presumptive occupational cancer cover for eligible professional and volunteer firefighters.
Firefighter Jeff Shrimpton, who has been diagnosed with two types of cancer during his career, said the proposed change marks a crucial moment for New Zealand crews.
“This is huge for our people—to find out that you’ve got cancer and know, ‘I can try and get better without having to go through this rigmarole to prove it’s work-related.”
Hidden hazards: Risks after the fire is out
New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union data shows firefighters face a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general population.
This occupational risk remains high despite heavy investment in improved personal protective equipment. Firefighters are routinely exposed to carcinogens at scenes, including during the overhaul and cleanup work carried out long after a blaze has been extinguished.
Currently, those diagnosed with cancer face a lengthy and stressful process to establish that their illness is work-related before ACC cover is approved.
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the system must recognise the invisible risks firefighters face.
“These guys fight literal fires; they should not be having to fight the bureaucracy in order to get support and treatment for cancer,” Swarbrick said.
Who the bill would cover
The member’s bill lists 21 specific cancers that international research has closely linked to the carcinogenic hazards firefighters face on the job.
It would provide presumptive occupational cancer cover to both eligible professional and volunteer FENZ firefighters, drastically reducing the evidence they must provide when making an ACC claim.
For Davidson, the legislation comes down to basic fairness and compassion.
“Just to think that the firefighters now that are getting cancer actually are having that stress of working through all of the stuff that they’ve done in the past, to try and determine when that fire was that caused the cancer, that’s wrong,” he said.
