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Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Labour Minister Simon Bridges today welcomed the completion of the major policy programme to respond to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

“With the completion of this critically important work, the Government has met the commitment we made in December 2012 to respond to all the Commission’s recommendations by the end of this year,” says Mr Joyce.

A new era in workplace health and safety begins today with the opening of WorkSafe NZ, the new stand-alone Crown regulator dedicated to health and safety says Labour Minister Simon Bridges.

“Too many people are killed or seriously injured in our workplaces and the injury rate must come down,” says Mr Bridges.

“WorkSafe NZ has high targets and will work with other Government agencies, businesses, and workers to reduce the fatalities, serious injuries and illnesses caused in the workplace.”

Police Minister Anne Tolley and Labour Minister Simon Bridges today announced the approval of the Underground Mines Emergency Protocol, developed in response to a recommendation by the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy. 

The protocol provides high level guidance on managing a major underground mine or tunnel emergency.  It sets out the persons and agencies responsible for responding, their key functions, duties, and roles, and the lines of authority for decision making and communication.

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today announced a new appointment and two reappointments to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) Board.

David Coull has been appointed as a member of the Board, while Marion Cowden has been reappointed Deputy Chair and Mervyn English has been reappointed as a member.

“The appointments will ensure the Board maintains its strong governance and strategic capability,” says Mr Bridges.

Cabinet has approved new regulations for mining health and safety, as part of the Government’s response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges says the new regulations will see significant changes to the health and safety regime of New Zealand’s mining industry.

Acting Minister for Climate Change Issues Simon Bridges today announced decisions to restrict the use of some types of Kyoto Protocol emission units within New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme. 

“Decisions in the international climate change negotiations in Doha last year, including restrictions on New Zealand’s ability to trade any international Kyoto units after 2015, and the lack of action on international markets at the recent Warsaw negotiations, have contributed to uncertainties within Kyoto markets,” Mr Bridges says.

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today announced the award of ten new oil and gas exploration permits as a result of Block Offer 2013.

The permits include five onshore permits across Taranaki and the East Coast and five offshore permits across the Reinga-Northland, Taranaki, and Great South-Canterbury Basins.

The Government has stepped up its efforts to improve forestry safety and Labour Minister Simon Bridges is calling on those in the industry to do the same. 

“The Government is committed to implementing the major step change in workplace health and safety that we need to see in New Zealand, which will help bring down fatalities and serious injuries in the forestry sector,” Mr Bridges says. 

News of the eighth forestry workplace fatality this year is a tragedy for the worker’s family, his colleagues and the whole industry says Labour Minister Simon Bridges. 

“There’ll be a devastated family in the central North Island who have lost a loved one and I extend my deepest condolences to them,” Mr Bridges says. 

“The number of fatalities in the forestry sector is too high and the safety record is not acceptable - the industry needs to get its safety house in order.

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.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges have welcomed the Environment Court’s decision to grant resource consents to Bathurst Resources for their Escarpment Mine on the West Coast of the South Island.

“The Escarpment Mine and associated works are expected to create 225 direct jobs and approximately $85 million each year will go to employees, suppliers, contractors and transport providers,” Mr Bridges says.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges welcome the start of operations to re-enter Pike River Coal Mine’s main tunnel up to the rock fall.

“The Government has been working closely with Solid Energy to ensure the re-entry plan can be safely carried out. Safety is paramount, and the project will be carefully managed with a risk assessment undertaken at each stage,” says Mr Bridges.

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.

235,000 homes have been insulated under the Government’s Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme, well above the original target set.

“When the Government launched the programme in 2009 to help make Kiwi homes warmer, drier and healthier, we had a target of 188,500 insulated by 2013,” says Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges.

“The programme has seen 235,000 homes insulated, directly improving the living conditions of many thousands of New Zealanders.  This is a resounding success.”

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.

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today announced the start of the Block Offer 2014 process for awarding oil and gas exploration permits.

“Consultation now begins with iwi and local authorities in the areas being proposed for onshore and offshore exploration,” says Mr Bridges.

“This is an important first step in the Block Offer process and I encourage iwi and local authorities to take part.  Their feedback ensures that any areas of sensitivity are carefully considered before the 2014 tender round is finalised.”

The petroleum and minerals sector generates $333 per hour worked, making it the most productive in the New Zealand economy, a new Government report shows.

The Petroleum and Minerals Sector Report was today released in Wellington by Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges.

The report notes that in the last six years New Zealand has seen:

The Government has approved conditional funding of a staged plan to re-enter and explore the main tunnel leading up to the rock fall at the Pike River Coal Mine, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges has announced.

The decision follows approval in principle of the re-entry plan risk assessment by the Solid Energy Board.

Mr Bridges said the Government will fund the estimated cost of the plan, at $7.2 million.

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.

Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today joined in celebrations in Reefton to mark the town switching on the lights 125 years ago.

“The story of electricity generation on the West Coast deserves celebrating because Reefton was the first town in the Southern Hemisphere to have a public electricity supply,” said Mr Bridges.

“Just a few years after Thomas Edison’s company was lighting the streets of New York, the Reefton hydro-electric power station was supplying electricity directly into local homes. This was an amazing achievement.

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.