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Michael Woodhouse, Minister of Workplace Safety.
The controversial Health and Safety Reform Bill has been sent back to a parliamentary select committee for another six weeks in an effort to break a deadlock on some of the proposed reforms.
Farmers have been highly critical of some aspects of the bill, especially plans to ban passengers from quads and also the red tape with which the bill is laced. And there are other facets of the bill, such as the law as it might apply to volunteers working for organisations such as DOC, which are viewed as highly prescriptive and impractical.
The bill was due to be reported back to parliament last Thursday, but on Tuesday (May 26), the transport and industrial relations committee sought and was granted permission to delay this for a further six weeks.
It was widely known that many National Party MP’s were unhappy with what the select committee was going to report back to parliament, so the delay was sought in the hope that some sort of compromise could be reached over time.
The bill has generated much angst in rural New Zealand and Federated Farmers has noted it’s one of the hottest topics at Feds annual meetings now being held around the country.
Michael Woodhouse, the Minister of Workplace Safety and the person responsible for the bill, says it’s the biggest shake-up of health and safety laws in NZ for 20 years. Recently he told Rural News the present laws were fragmented and complicated and in his words – “a bugger’s muddle”.
He says the transport and industrial relations select committee has made excellent progress, and is confident the Bill is in good shape.
“But it is important that we get this right and I make no apologies for ensuring we take the time we need to land this reform in the right place. The six week extension on the report-back date will enable us to kick the tyres and make sure the proposals are sensible, workable and will make a real difference to improve New Zealand’s unacceptable safety record.”
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