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Mr Speaker, I move that the WorkSafe New Zealand Bill, the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Bill (No 3), and the Mines Rescue Bill be now read a third time.

It gives me great satisfaction to support these Bills at third reading.

Following the release of the report of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy in 2012, this Government committed to implementing the Royal Commission’s 16 recommendations by the end of 2013.

I move that the Health and Safety (Pike River Implementation) Bill be now read a first time.

I nominate the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee to consider the Bill and, at the appropriate time, I intend to move that the Bill be reported to the House by 30 October 2013.

Tena koutou, Tena koutou katoa (Greetings to you, greetings to you all).

Mr President, fellow delegates. I’m very pleased to be able to address this plenary session on behalf of the New Zealand Government.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen.

I want to thank you all for your commitment to improving workplace health and safety in New Zealand. 

You are a vital link in the chain of organisational and personal responsibility for health and safety that brings us together this morning. And I will return to this theme shortly.

We are at a unique point in the continuing evolution of our health and safety system in this country.  A watershed, if you like.

It is particularly relevant that I have been asked to speak to you today on ‘The Way Ahead’ because that’s exactly what I want to focus on  – where the Government is heading in occupational health and safety.

Let me be quite clear. Workplace health and safety is a high priority for this Government and in just three months, it’s become a major focus for me as Minister. 

It occupies my mind, in one way or another, every day.

And it’ll continue to, because our work in this area is really stepping up this year.