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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.

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.

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.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges has announced the release of a new safety audit standard for adventure activities in New Zealand.

“This new standard sets a bar for adventure activity operators who are required to pass a safety audit before they can become registered,” says Mr Bridges.

“It sets out the requirements operators must comply with to reduce risks in providing adventure activities. There will always be a level of risk with these types of activities, but commercial operators must take all practicable steps to operate safely.”

The first reflagging of a foreign charter fishing vessel as New Zealand-registered is good news for foreign crews fishing in our waters, and for New Zealand’s international reputation, say Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Labour Minister Simon Bridges.

The Ukrainian fishing vessel FV Mainstream, chartered by Independent Fisheries, was today officially reflagged, bringing it under New Zealand labour, and health and safety laws.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges today announced the minimum wage is to rise to $13.75.

The current wage rate is $13.50.

The training and new entrants’ minimum wages will increase from $10.80 to $11, which is 80 per cent of the adult minimum wage.

“Setting these wage rates represents a careful balance between protecting low paid workers and ensuring jobs are not lost as the economic recovery gains pace,” says Mr Bridges.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee’s report on the Minimum Wage (Starting-out Wage) Amendment Bill.

“A starting-out wage is an important initiative to give young people the foothold they need to enter the workforce,” says Mr Bridges.

“It will give employers a real incentive to take on our youngest and most inexperienced workers and provide them with the skills and work experience they need.”

The Government’s focus on significantly lifting New Zealand’s workplace health and safety record is behind the establishment of a new, stand-alone agency, says Labour Minister Simon Bridges.

The creation of a stand-alone Crown agent was a key recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

“The new agency will have a dedicated focus on health and safety and underlines the Government’s strong commitment to addressing New Zealand’s workplace fatality and serious injury rates,” says Mr Bridges.

New rules come into force tomorrow requiring all adventure tourism operators to strengthen how they manage drug and alcohol-related safety risks in their operations.

“I welcome these tougher rules with the knowledge that tourists and New Zealanders alike will have greater assurance about the safety of adventure activities,” says Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee.

Acting Labour Minister Chris Finlayson says the new requirements will reduce risk and also help protect New Zealand’s reputation as a tourist destination.

State Services and Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman has welcomed the release of two reviews in relation to the 2010 ANZAC Day helicopter crash.

The State Services Commission has released an independent review on the Air Force’s implementation of the Court of Inquiry safety recommendations, and also a review of the roles and functions for health and safety in employment in the military context.   

The Government has released its detailed action plan for implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and acting Labour Minister Christopher Finlayson announced today.

New regulations will ensure that health and safety is a priority in the growing petroleum exploration and extraction industry, Acting Minister of Labour Christopher Finlayson announced today.

New regulations are being introduced to strengthen management of oil wells over the whole life of the well, including managing hazards that could cause a major accident, and minimising the likelihood of an uncontrolled release of oil and gas. Operators will also be required to prepare and submit safety cases to the regulator for assessment before commencing any new operations.

Acting Labour Minister Chris Finlayson has welcomed the public release of the report of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

Earlier today in Greymouth, the Government released the report to the families of the 29 men who died in the Pike River Mine on 19 November 2010.

The report found multiple operational and systemic issues with Pike River Coal and its operation of the mine. It also found that government regulation of mine safety has been ineffective, with a decline in the support of the mining inspectorate in the past 20 years.

Hon Kate Wilkinson has resigned as Labour Minister, effective today, following today’s release of the report from the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine tragedy.

“The Pike River Mine tragedy of 19 November 2010 happened on my watch as Minister of Labour,” says Ms Wilkinson.

“While reports from the former Department of Labour did not advise me of concerns about their ability to administer the health and safety legislation, 29 men lost their lives in this tragedy.

Cabinet has agreed to further improvements to the Employment Relations Act 2000, including changes to Part 6A that deals with the cleaning, catering, orderly and laundry industries, Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson said today.

The objective of Part 6A is to provide continuity of employment for employees in specific industries when a business is restructured or sold.

“A review of Part 6A found that there were significant operational issues around transferring employees’ entitlements and information to the new employer,” Ms Wilkinson says.

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson has today confirmed the introduction of a new starting-out wage that will help provide young New Zealanders with more opportunities to get into the workforce.

Speaking at the launch of the Government's Skilled and Safe Workplaces Progress Report, Ms Wilkinson said the new starting-out wage was the latest in a series of steps to help get more New Zealanders into jobs in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis.

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.