About Next Generation Critical Communications

Through leading-edge communication technology, Next Generation Critical Communications (NGCC) enables the Emergency Services to maintain law and order, keep people safe, protect life and property, and deal with health events.

The wellbeing of five million New Zealanders and 3.8 million tourists annually is at the heart of our emergency services. Together, more than 39,000 staff and volunteers attend over five million calls for help every year. NGCC was established in 2020 to support these staff and volunteers.

Communities expect that responding services will be able to assist them when they call for help. To respond where people live, work and play, emergency services rely heavily on cellular and radio communications. 

NGCC Poutama Whai Tikanga Pāpāho, is the government’s leading advisor on critical communications for public safety in New Zealand.

NGCC is a unique cross-agency entity involving a core Government agency (Police), a Crown entity (Fire and Emergency New Zealand) and two non-government organisations (St John and Wellington Free Ambulance), which together form the Emergency Services. These agencies have a common vision to develop Emergency Services critical communications capability.

The ability of the Emergency Services to communicate effectively with their frontline is fundamental for their safety and for delivering services to the community, this is why NGCC is striving to provide reliable, mission-critical communication services. Its immediate programme of work is the Public Safety Network.

The Public Safety Network programme supports four of the Government’s 12 long-term plan and priority outcomes:

  • Grow and share NZ’s prosperity more fairly
  • Support thriving, sustainable regions
  • Support healthier, safer and more connected communities
  • Build closer partnerships with Māori

A short video of the Chief Executives of New Zealand Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, St John New Zealand and Wellington Free Ambulance, outlining their support for the PSN and the benefits if offers is available here: