Mining Inspection Group Transfers to OSH

The mining and extractive industries will no longer have to pay an extraction levy due to the transfer to the Department of Labour of the Mining Inspection Group, Labour Minister Max Bradford announced today.

The mining and extractive industries include geothermal extraction, petroleum exploration and extraction, coal and minerals mining and quarrying.

The transfer, which will come into effect from July 1 this year, will move the Mining Inspection Group from the Ministry of Commerce to the Department of Labour's Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH).

Mr Bradford said the transfer would enhance the existing service that the Mining Inspection Group offers by a closer alignment with the existing OSH services.

'The mining industry would also be further advantaged by the lifting of the current extraction levy used to fund the Group, while retaining the skills and expertise of the inspectorate' Mr Bradford said.

Those industries are currently the only group covered under Health and Safety in Employment Act legislation administered by an agency other than OSH.

'The transfer of the Group would bring services to that industry in line with those received by the rest of New Zealand's workplaces,' said Mr Bradford.