More than 11,000 signatures came pouring in in the first 24 hours of a petition launched on Monday night (March 17) fighting for Kiwi volunteer firefighters suffering mental or physical harm who are being left out in the cold by New Zealand’s hugely unfair ACC laws.

Petition organiser, Queenstown Volunteer Fire Brigade secretary Katherine Lamont says she’s greatly heartened by the early groundswell of support calling for the government “to urgently listen to the voices of volunteer firefighters in their bid for ACC benefit parity with their paid counterparts”.

Lamont says the plight of Kingston volunteer firefighter Pete Ottley, denied ACC support while suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) triggered by December’s horrific fatal bus and car crash near Kingston, inspired her petition.

One person died and 20 others were seriously injured.

“It’s all about Pete and getting legislative change to allow him to heal.

“Although he’s been on the scene at many horrific accidents during his 13-year service this one hit him particularly hard,” she says.

“As it stands Pete, like other volunteer firefighters, is not entitled to ACC coverage for his wages and other benefits because he is classified as a non-employee.”

Ottley has been unable to work for several months and as there’s no help from ACC a Givealittle page, also launched recently by Lamont to help Ottley and his family financially, has raised almost $9000 of its $20,000 target in 13 days.

“But it should be the government’s role to support him and with our petition we are putting the spotlight on the need for the legislation to change and this has the backing of the United Fire Brigades Association,” Lamont says.

“There are support systems for people suffering from trauma in both the United Fire Brigades Association and Fire and Emergency New Zealand but none that compensate a volunteer from being off fully paid employment and that’s what we want to see changed.”

She wants to see volunteers get the same benefits and coverage as full-time firefighters.

In Peter Ottley’s case, there’s a duty of care from the government that’s being missed and as a result volunteers are suffering, she says.

“We consider ensuring the safety, health and wellbeing of our valuable firefighting volunteers must be a top priority at government level. There is a massive gap in the system which needs addressing immediately.”

Kingston volunteer firefighter Peter Ottley says the huge outpouring of support for his plight has been “truly overwhelming in a great way”. “People I don’t even know have helped me and stopped by to see me and now, through these very good people, it’s all building momentum. They’re getting this issue right there in the face of the government and hopefully this petition gets the much-needed change across the line,” he says. He’s hugely grateful to Katherine Lamont and so many others for their amazing support. “I didn’t speak out about this for myself,” he says. “It means everything to me to get change for others in the same position, and for future generations of volunteer firefighters,” he says.

Te Anau fire chief and founder of K10 Te Anau Graham ‘Possum’ Moffatt says he hopes the petition invigorates change and raises awareness about what firefighting volunteers go through.

“Pete’s not alone. Plenty of others have been, or are going, through the same thing,” Moffatt says.

“I just hope they can all be treated on an equal playing field.”

Moffatt says he knows too well what Ottley is going through, which is why he launched K10 about eight years ago bringing volunteer firefighters and their partners from around NZ to Fiordland for a much needed, all expenses paid break.

The town’s tourism operators have thrown huge support behind the project with between 30 and 40 firefighters, and even a few St John’s first responders, taking up the offer.

From moteliers generously giving free $500 a night rooms to Fiordland Jet rides and Southern Lakes Helicopters flying them up to touch snow, Moffatt says he tailor-makes each trip according to what the guests feel up to.

“They can do whatever they want to do but I give them a look around our beautiful part of the world, supply all their meals, accommodation and travel vouchers,” he says.

The programme is hugely supported by massive donations from Fire Brigades around NZ.

“It’s not a new problem. It’s a very old problem,” he says.

“You can only deal with so much before something gives, then to be declined ACC help is totally outrageous,” he says.

“It’s not easy but there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

The petition closes on April 30 2025.

Link to petition- https://petitions.parliament.nz/5872f736-ed2f-443c-f919-08dd5b668762

Link to givealittle page- https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/lets-support-volunteer-firefighter-pete-ottley