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Labour Minister Simon Bridges today announced the permanent Board of the new workplace health and safety regulator, WorkSafe New Zealand.

All members appointed to the Establishment Board in July will transfer to the permanent Board when WorkSafe starts operations on 16 December, that is: Professor Gregor Coster as chair, Paula Rose, Don Stock, Patrick Strange and Ross Wilson.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges welcomed the passage of the Health and Safety (Pike River Implementation) Bill through Parliament. 

“Today marks the passing of the last major milestone in our work to address the 16 recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy,” Mr Bridges says. 

“The Bill creates the WorkSafe New Zealand Act, the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Act and a new Mines Rescue Act. 

Labour Minister Simon Bridges has today given an update on the implementation of Working Safer, the Government’s health and safety reform package.

The reform package announced in August 2013 will be reflected in the Health and Safety Reform Bill which is expected to be introduced to Parliament by the end of the year.

A draft of provisions released today covers the duties of workplace participants and provisions relating to worker participation systems that will be in the Bill.

Specialist guidance for mine, quarry and tunnel managers to help them build a strong health and safety culture was released today by the Minister of Labour, Hon Simon Bridges.

“The guidance responds to one of the recommendations of the Pike River Royal Commission. In addition, the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety noted that leadership is vital to creating a workplace culture in which health and safety comes first,” Mr Bridges says.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges has announced the appointment of Rosemary Monaghan as interim Chief of the Employment Relations Authority.

Ms Monaghan was appointed to the Authority in October 2000 following six years as a mediator and adjudicator on the Employment Tribunal. She is an experienced Barrister, having practised in Chambers and in several legal roles.

The Government will fund nearly $11 million over four years for a dedicated health and safety programme for the Canterbury rebuild.

“This programme will actively support safety in the construction sector and focus on harm reduction across the rebuild,” says Labour Minister Simon Bridges.

“The funding is part of the Government’s Working Safer package, announced yesterday, which represents a major step towards reducing New Zealand’s workplace injury and death toll by 25 percent by 2020.

The most significant reform of New Zealand’s workplace health and safety system in 20 years has been announced today by Labour Minister Simon Bridges.

“The Working Safer package represents a major step change in New Zealand’s approach to meet our target of reducing the workplace injury and death toll by 25 percent by 2020,” says Mr Bridges.

“The reforms recalibrate our approach so we are working smarter, targeting risk and working together to improve performance in workplace health and safety.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges today announced the members of the Establishment Board of the planned new Crown agent, WorkSafe New Zealand.

“This Board has the crucial job of overseeing the establishment of WorkSafe New Zealand for its December start-up. The new agency will be focussed on addressing New Zealand’s workplace fatality and serious injury rates,” says Mr Bridges.

Government Ministers have today signed the Canterbury Rebuild Safety Charter to help keep workers on the rebuild safe.

The Safety Charter, developed by the Canterbury Rebuild Senior Leaders’ Group, has been signed and endorsed by 50 construction, insurance, central and local government leaders.

“Rebuilding Canterbury on time, on budget and safely is a priority for the Government. The Safety Charter is a unique document, bringing industry and government together to make this happen,” says Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee.

Legislation to establish a new workplace health and safety agency, WorkSafe New Zealand, and to support health and safety regulations for mining has unanimously passed its first reading in Parliament.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges says the Health and Safety (Pike River Implementation) Bill is an important part of the Government’s commitment to the Pike River families to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy by the end of this year.

Employment relations and workplace health and safety are key areas of discussion for Labour Minister Simon Bridges when he attends the International Labour Conference in Geneva next week.

The Minister will address a plenary session on this year’s theme of ‘Building a Future with Decent Work’, meet with political counterparts and senior ILO officials and attend a meeting of Asia Pacific Labour Ministers.

Legislation to ensure more fairness, flexibility and clarity in employment law passed its first reading in Parliament.

The Employment Relations Amendment Bill proposes a package of measures to improve workplace arrangements in order to lift productivity and help create jobs.  

Labour Minister Simon Bridges told Parliament the Government wants to ensure that employers have the freedom to compete and expand, while key protections for employees are maintained.

The key features of the Bill are:

Parental leave payments will increase from 1 July in line with changes in the average weekly wage, Labour Minister Simon Bridges announced today.

The maximum amount available to eligible employees and the self-employed will increase from $475.16 to $488.17 gross a week.

The minimum parental leave payment for self-employed will also increase, from $135.00 to $137.50 a week gross.

“The increase to parental leave payments matches the 2.7 percent increase in the average weekly wage over the past year,” Mr Bridges says.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges has announced new regulations that will raise the standard for workplace safety in petroleum exploration and extraction.

The Health and Safety in Employment (Petroleum Exploration and Extraction) Regulations 2013 replace the 1999 regulations and come into effect on 30 June.

The Government has further progressed the Pike River Implementation Plan with the release of a discussion document on a new regulatory regime for the mining sector.

Labour and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says the discussion document proposes significant changes to health and safety regulation in New Zealand’s mining industry.

Energy and Resources and Labour Minister Simon Bridges leaves for Japan today where he will address the annual Nikkei Forum and meet with business and political leaders.

Mr Bridges has been invited to speak at the Nikkei conference in Tokyo on the theme “Exploring New Partnerships between Asia and the World.”

“Asia is an important and growing export and investment partner for New Zealand and I welcome this opportunity to meet ASEAN leaders and build on our relationships in the region,” he says.

Guidelines for company directors on leading and managing health and safety in their workplaces have been launched by Labour Minister Simon Bridges.

“This is an important milestone in addressing both the recommendations of the Pike River Royal Commission and the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health & Safety which sought guidance for directors on their responsibilities,” says Mr Bridges.

The first safety audit providers approved to audit adventure activity operators under a new standard have been announced by Labour Minister Simon Bridges.

“I welcome Outdoors New Zealand, Bureau Veritas and Verification New Zealand as providers recognised by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to carry out safety audits of adventure activity operators,” says Mr Bridges.

The Minister’s announcement follows his release in March of a new safety audit standard which operators must pass before being eligible for registration.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges has today welcomed the report of the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety.

“The Government established the Independent Taskforce last June to advise us on possible ways to meet our goal of reducing the rate of fatalities and serious injuries in the workplace by at least 25 per cent by 2020. The tragedy at Pike River was a major catalyst for this work,” says Mr Bridges.

Workers’ Memorial Day tomorrow is a time to remember not only those who’ve been killed or injured at work, but their friends and families too,” says Labour Minister Simon Bridges.

“The trauma of a workplace death never leaves those who are closest – family, friends and work colleagues. In some cases, these people can spend months, maybe years, caring for a loved one undergoing rehabilitation.

Resolving employment disputes more quickly is one of the improvements proposed in the Employment Relations Amendment Bill introduced to Parliament today.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges says the Bill is aimed at improving fairness and flexibility in workplace relations.

“While most of the proposed changes have already been announced, an additional change aimed at speeding up Employment Relations Authority processes is also proposed,” says Mr Bridges.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges is calling for nominations to an establishment board to oversee the formation of a new workplace health and safety agency announced by the Government in February.

The new agency, in the form of a Crown agent, is a key recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

“The Crown agent will enforce workplace health and safety regulations and work with employers and employees to promote and embed good health and safety practices,” says Mr Bridges.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Labour and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today released an update on the Pike River Implementation Plan.

The plan lays out the actions the Government is taking to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

“The Government has made a commitment to the families of the victims of Pike River to ensure we follow through on every recommendation of the Royal Commission.

Employers will have a real incentive to give young people a foothold into work with the passage into law of the starting-out wage, says Labour Minister Simon Bridges.

The Minimum Wage (Starting-out Wage) Amendment Bill passed its third and final reading in Parliament today.  The Bill enables the starting-out wage to be an option for employers and employees from 1 May this year.