Australian-domiciled owners of property in New Zealand still have to pay the NZ fire service levy, no matter who they arrange their insurance through. In line with NSW, Victoria and Tasmania, NZ maintains the ancient and widely discredited practice of funding its fire services through insurance premiums.

The NZ Fire Service says many NZ organisations either have a head office outside the country or are subsidiaries of international conglomerates. Because many arrange their insurance globally, they “may not be aware of their obligations” regarding the levy.