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I want to thank you all for the opportunity to be here today.

I know that in this room sit many of the leaders of the Adventure Activities sector.

As leaders, you will be seeking clarity from the Government on the new Adventure Activity health and safety regime and I want to give you that today. 

We have four new audit providers on board.

The new audit providers are taking bookings, and every operator is getting free support from the Government; there’s a financial incentive in place.

In August 2013, the Government announced the most significant reform of New Zealand’s workplace health and safety system in more than 20 years.

Our reform package ‘Working Safer – a blueprint for health and safety at work’ marks a turning point in New Zealand’s approach to safety at work. 

It provides us with a valuable opportunity to create and deliver a world class health and safety system.

Mr Speaker, I move that the Employment Relations Amendment Bill be now read a second time.  I thank the members of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee, and particularly its chair David Bennett, for their thorough consideration of this Bill.

Mr Speaker, this Bill implements the Government’s policies aimed at increasing flexibility and fairness in our employment relations framework.

I move that the Health and Safety Reform Bill be now read a first time.  I nominate the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee to consider the Bill.

The Government is committed to improving health and safety at work. 

This Bill represents the most significant law reform in this area in 20 years. Its main purpose is to provide for a balanced framework to secure the health and safety of workers and workplaces.

The new law will play a major role in helping us meet our target of reducing New Zealand’s workplace death toll by 25 per cent by 2020.

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.

Hon Kate Wilkinson, Minister of Labour

2.05pm, Thursday 4 October 2012

Thank you David and thank you all. It's a great pleasure to be here today.

It's always good to see so many leaders of our major businesses, industries, unions and government officials together in one room focusing on health and safety.

I would like to give a very special welcome to our guest speaker today, Judith Hackitt – Chair of the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive.

Hon Kate Wilkinson, Minister of Labour

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington

Introductory remarks

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. It's great to be here and I'm pleased to see you all in Wellington for the Safety 2012 World Conference.

A warm welcome especially to all our overseas visitors, I hope you are enjoying some Kiwi hospitality and seeing some of what our country has to offer.

Hon Kate Wilkinson, Minister of Labour
3.05pm, Tuesday 2 October 2012

Thank you all for coming today, it's great to see so many leaders, both from Canterbury and nationally, all in one place to discuss how we can make the rebuild of this city safe, as well as swift and cost-effective.

16 August 2012, Queens Wharf (Dockside restaurant)

Thank you, David for your kind introduction.

It is great to see a wide cross-section of the fishing industry here for what is a very important piece of work.

We are here to officially launch the Fishing Sector Action Plan – and it has a very important purpose – to address the high rate of injury and death in the fishing sector.

Tena koutou, Tena koutou Katoa (Greetings to you all)

Thank you to the Chairperson, Director General, and Regional Directors for your opening remarks.

It is an opportune time to be discussing youth unemployment at this Conference as it is clear that the numbers of our young people out of work has been rising in both developed and developing economies, even where general unemployment rates are stabilising following the global recession.

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

Mr President, fellow delegates. I’m very pleased to be able to address this session, to acknowledge the contribution Director General Juan Somavia has made to the ILO, and to congratulate and welcome our new Director-General, Guy Ryder, who we have elected to lead this organisation over the years to come.

Sky City Convention Centre, Auckland
31 May 2012

I would like start by congratulating the award winners from last night. The breadth and imagination in their winning programmes was very significant. We can all learn from the entrants – whether winning or not.  

This morning I've been asked to give you a Ministerial perspective of health and safety. It's something I take very seriously and we all must take very seriously.

Sky City Convention Centre, Auckland

30 May 2012

Can I start by saying how pleased I am to be back to address the Business Leaders' Health and Safety Forum once again. The idea of a health and safety leadership group for Chief Executives was floated back in May 2009 - so to stand in front of you in your third year is a real honour.

It's also exciting as there are some really big initiatives happening in the health and safety sector in terms of investment and strategy.

Introduction

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you all today.

Health and safety within New Zealand workplaces is something the Government takes very seriously and is a key focus area for me personally, so I am pleased to be able to come and talk to you about the issues and our priorities for the next three years.

This term the Government has four key priorities. These are to responsibly manage our finances; deliver better public services; build a more competitive and productive economy; and rebuild Christchurch.

Addington Events Centre, Christchurch
22 March 2012

Good afternoon and welcome to you all.  I am very pleased the Productivity Partnership has given me this opportunity to speak to you today, on what is a great step forward for Canterbury – the launch of the Built Environment Skills Strategy.

The Strategy is a very important piece of work which will help the Government to reach two of its four priorities - to build a more competitive and productive economy and to rebuild Christchurch.

Crowne Plaza, Auckland
13 March 2012

Introduction

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to your conference today about my government's priorities for employment relations for the next three years.

I thought I should start by emphasising our Government's driving goal – as articulated by the Prime Minister – which is to build a more competitive and internationally-focused economy with less debt, more jobs and higher incomes.

CHEP Pallets, Wiri, Auckland
13 March 2012

Thank you for that kind introduction and for inviting me here today to launch the Manufacturing Sector Action Plan.

It is great to see so many interested parties in attendance today. From the start there has been wide interest in this plan from across the sector. It was very encouraging for me to see the level of industry involvement in the development of this action plan.