The New Zealand Fire Service (NZFS) Commission has received two audit reports on the operation of the NZFS Design Review Unit (DRU). The audits were undertaken earlier this year by two highly respected fire engineering organisations, namely Warrington Fire Research, Melbourne and the Centre for Environmental Safety and Risk Engineering at Victoria University, Melbourne. The auditors were selected for their experience, independence and professional standing in the field of fire engineering. The auditors each reviewed 5% of the building consent applications received at that time. Apart from being requested to choose a range of projects and designers, the auditors made their own selection of applications.

The audits were commissioned with the principal aim of providing assurances to the Commission and the Minister that the DRU is discharging its duties in a technically competent manner. In the context that the quality of the advice may depend on the quality of the applications, the auditors were also asked to provide comment on the quality of and methodology employed in the fire engineering reports received by the DRU.