Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden has launched a consultation document with the goal to change the health and safety laws that currently apply to all workplaces.
Along with Ministry officials, she undertook a national roadshow to listen to workers, sector groups and others to get direct feedback on the health and safety system in New Zealand.
Submissions on the discussion document closed on 31 October 2024, and any changes to legislation are some months away due to the lengthy legal process of changing the law.
A recurrent theme is that the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) is generally fine, but the supporting regulations are either poor or non-existent. Small business in particular is impacted by the complexities of how the law is applied.
WorkSafe NZ also came under some criticism for applying variable standards across the country.
Business Central will engage with the government on this and communicate how any changes will impact your business as the new law is drawn up.