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Scoop
8 hours ago
- Scoop
Health And Safety Reform: Sector-Specific Updates Signal Targeted Regulatory Relief
As part of the Government's ongoing reform of New Zealand's health and safety regulatory framework, the Minister for the New Zealand Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon Brooke van Velden, has announced a new tranche of health and safety reforms, targeting specific industry sectors. The Minister indicated that the announced changes are aimed at improving clarity, reducing unnecessary compliance burdens, and better aligning regulations with real-world risks across several key sectors. This tranche of announcements follows earlier signals from the Government regarding broader legislative reform, which is expected to be introduced to Parliament later this year, with new legislation enacted ahead of the next election. In contrast to the first suite of announcements, this tranche demonstrates an intention to consult with identified sectors to develop or amend safety regulations or approved codes of practices in identified areas. Key features of the announcements Construction The Minister's announcement on 28 July 2025 signalled the intention to consult with the construction industry to create clearer rules and prequalification guidance to support construction. Specifically, the Minister highlighted possible changes for working at heights, the use of scaffolding and to simplify the complexity of prequalification systems, to better align health and safety requirements with actual site risks. The Government aims to, following consultation with the construction sector, introduce a risk-based hierarchy of controls for working at height, to help businesses select appropriate safety measures based on the specific hazards of each task. It is hoped this approach will reduce unnecessary use of scaffolding, particularly in low-risk situations. The Government has also signalled the introduction of revised prequalification guidance to improve consistency across the sector. As part of this work, the Minister has asked WorkSafe to collaborate with industry to develop free-to-use templates that support a more consistent and streamlined approach. Additionally, work is underway to clarify overlapping duties on shared worksites through an Approved Code of Practice (ACoP), which is to be developed by WorkSafe. This decision is aimed at helping businesses better understand when coordination with other contractors is required, and how responsibilities should be managed in practice. Agriculture In the 29 July 2025 announcement, the Minister indicated the Government would be consulting with the agriculture sector on the thresholds for members of the family to be involved in chores on the family farm, while ensuring safety is not compromised. In addition, the Government has also requested WorkSafe develop two new ACoPs in consultation with the agricultural sector, to reflect how modern farms operate and to support practical compliance. The first will provide clearer guidance on roles and responsibilities in agriculture, particularly around overlapping duties and PCBU obligations when multiple PCBUs are working on a farm. The second will focus on the safe use of farm vehicles and machinery, including quad bikes, tractors, side-by-sides, and two-wheel motorbikes. As part of broader reform, the Government is also proposing changes to the ACoP model itself. While compliance with ACoPs is currently voluntary, the proposed change would give greater assurance that following an ACoP is sufficient to meet health and safety duties under the Heath and Safety at Work Act 2015 (the HSW Act). Manufacturing On 30 July 2025, the Minister announced that the Government will consult on how to simplify machine guarding rules, aiming to replace 'outdated requirements' with a risk-based approach. The Minister signalled that these changes are expected to benefit both manufacturers and other sectors that rely on machinery, including agriculture, horticulture, construction, and food processing. Additionally, the Minister noted that the Government will review workplace exposure standards for substances such as soft wood dust, hard wood dust, and welding fumes. The review aims to improve clarity and ensure that exposure limits are practical. Science and technology On 31 July 2025, the Minister announced that the Government will consult on changes aimed at reducing regulatory complexity and better supporting innovation across the science and technology sectors for growth. The proposed changes will seek to match hazardous substances requirements for laboratories with their actual risk. It is not yet clear what form these requirements will take. A particular focus is the introduction of reforms that support the development and use of hydrogen technologies, including: enabling the use of internationally accepted hydrogen storage containers; establishing safety requirements for cryogenic liquid hydrogen; and introducing standards for hydrogen filling stations and dispensers. These reforms are intended to create a more enabling regulatory environment, in line with the Government's Hydrogen Action Plan. Broader consultation is underway to ensure the regulations reflect the needs of researchers, innovators, and industry stakeholders. Adventure and events In the last announcement on 1 August 2025, the Minster announced the Government would be consulting on health and safety regulations in the recreation and entertainment sectors to reduce unnecessary compliance pressure, while maintaining safety outcomes. Following consultation, it is intended that changes would be made to the Adventure Activities Regulations and Amusement Device Regulations, with the aim of reducing compliance costs for recreation providers, event organisers, and volunteer-led groups. One of the key proposals involves refining the definition of 'adventure activities' to distinguish between high-risk and low-risk recreational offerings. This change seeks to reduce compliance obligations for operators whose activities pose minimal safety risks. The Government is also proposing updates to the Amusement Device Regulations to focus council permitting requirements on transportable high-risk amusement devices. In contrast, fixed or low-risk devices would be exempt from these requirements. The proposed reforms aim to clarify health and safety obligations for volunteer organisations, especially those involved in outdoor recreation or emergency response, intending to reduce administrative complexity. Our view Given intended consultation with industry, it is difficult to predict the full impact of the announced reforms. However it is clear that the Government is seeking to save time and cost for businesses by reducing 'red tape' and 'mak[ing] it easier to do business'. At a high-level, these sector-specific updates reflect a desire to move towards a risk-based regulatory approach and a willingness to respond to industry feedback. However, while the intended areas of reform offer some clarification and modest compliance relief, they appear to fall short of delivering the clarity many stakeholders have been calling for. While it is promising to see a continued focus on regulation in areas where the greatest risk is presented, some of these reforms, such as those around guarding, relate to areas where significant risk is present and where New Zealand has been susceptible to poor health and safety performance. From a practical standpoint, how these reforms are implemented will be critical. Legislative changes alone will not be enough, and clear guidance, consistent support and enforcement, and meaningful engagement with industry will be essential to ensure that the intended benefits are realised 'on the ground'. A continued programme of keeping these standards up to date to align with best practice will also be vital, to ensure New Zealand does not fall further behind its Australian and English counterparts in health and safety performance. Nonetheless, businesses should take this opportunity to engage with the consultation processes to ensure the input and feedback required is received to inform the development of these codes of practice and regulation. We will continue to watch with interest as the Government continues its work to improve health and safety, and as Cabinet makes decisions on other aspects of the reform.
RNZ News
10 hours ago
- RNZ News
The people quietly preserving a place for cash
The Reserve Bank is doing its once-every-two-year survey to understand how New Zealanders use, store and spend cash. Photo: 123RF As Kiwis' cash use comes under scrutiny, shopkeepers and emergency savers are among those quietly preserving a place for physical currency. At present, the Reserve Bank is doing its once-every-two-year survey to understand how New Zealanders use, store and spend cash. Dunedin residents, unscientifically surveyed by RNZ on Tuesday, said they were using cash for everything from groceries to public transport, pocket money, cheese rolls and, in Sheryn Wilson's case, to give to the less fortunate. "Occasionally, I'll get out $20 in change and give it to my granddaughter to give to the people along here. That's basically all I use it for. To give the homeless... but that's it," Wilson said. Physical money remained second preference to using a bank card, although she believed it was worthwhile to have a backup stash for emergencies. "It feels strange now to use cash. It feels old-fashioned and kind of dirty," she said. Clive Cockle said he always carried cash but tended to default to swiping his card. He said he also kept at least a few dollars for emergencies. However Daniel, who did not want his last name identified, said he actively avoided cash to try to restrain his spending. "I find it hard to save money if I've got cash lying around - I'll just spend it straight away. If I've got cash, every time I open my wallet, it's gone," he said. Clive Cockle said he keeps at least a few dollars for emergencies. Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox This year, the Reserve Bank's random postal survey would ask people how they preferred to pay, how often they used cash, how easy it was to deposit and withdraw coins and notes, and whether they stored cash - and why. Reserve Bank's cash manager Ian Woolford said people's habits were shifting. The last survey found fewer people using cash day-to-day, but those who did used it more often and more people said they valued it for privacy and safety. "The work that we're doing is to make sure that consumers - citizens - can use it when and as they please," he said. The Dairy and Business Owners Group said it was becoming harder for shopkeepers to manage cash. Chairperson Ankit Bansal said some people were relying on dairies for small cash withdrawals when there were not banks nearby. But the reduced number of bank branches and the increase in 'cashless' banks made it hard for shopkeepers to maintain a float. Bansal said stores needed easy bank access because holding money on site was a safety risk. "Banks - this is their job. Essentially we're seeing them picking and choosing what services they're providing. So I hope to see some action on the banks," he said. Retail New Zealand chief executive Carolyn Young said cash was on the way out, although not in the near future. Fewer than one in ten nationwide retail transactions were now in cash, she said. "It's certainly always diminishing, but how long that tail is, we're not sure," Young said. Shopkeepers were not supportive of New Zealand First's recent members' bill, which would require making it mandatory for stores to take cash for purchases up to $500, she said. "Retailers... understand that cash is important, but they don't want to be dictated - that it's mandated. Part of it is what do people want and how do we make sure that that's working. It's not broken at the moment. We don't think that it's necessary," Young said. Jamie Jermain, the co-founder of the SquareOne app that helps children understand finance and managing their money, found some children didn't know what cash was. He said a tool kit was needed to teach children about money and it's value when cash is increasingly invisible in a digital world. "In this day in age, what kids are getting more and more used to seeing is their parents essentially tapping this magic wand on a terminal. They [young people] don't have that connection with money, they don't see how it works on a day-to-day basis," Jermain said. Educating children on how to earn, save and responsibly spend money is crucial for learning good money habits when children get older, Jermain said. "Those lessons are with them for life," he said. The Reserve Bank's survey closes on 10 October. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
10 hours ago
- RNZ News
Waimakariri's new councillors may get 22% pay bump
Deputy Mayor Neville Atkinson and Mayor Dan Gordon. Photo: Waimakariri District Council. Photo: LDR / SUPPLIED Waimakariri's mayor and councillors are set for pay rises of up to 22 percent after October's election. Councillor pay rates will jump from $58,110 to $71,026. Speaking at a council meeting on Tuesday, outgoing Deputy Mayor Neville Atkinson said councillors were "well worth" the increased pay rate. The mayor's salary is set to rise 4 percent, from $158,057 to $164,728, while the deputy mayor's salary is proposed to jump 22 percent, from $74,674 to $91,271. The pay jumps are due to an increased remuneration pool. Atkinson said voting on pay rises is "silly" when it is already set by the Remuneration Authority. "It is imposed on you and it has always seemed silly to me that we have to vote on this, when it is already imposed on us. "If you want to give it to charity you can, but if you want to take it, then good on you - you are well worth it." Atkinson said there was plenty of commentary on social media about what bonuses councillors allegedly claimed. "It talks about the bonuses which we actually don't get. We don't get flying allowances - we don't want them, and we don't get lunch allowances - we don't want them. "We want to look after ratepayers' money. "But this extra money will allow people to make a conscious decision of whether they want a full-time job alongside being a councillor or not." Retiring councillor Al Blackie said while councillors did not do it for the money, they did have a big workload. ''A little bit more money in the pot can only be a good thing in encouraging young people and particularly young women to stand.'' Councillor Tim Fulton said his only concern was the ''gaps'' in the childcare allowance, which will increase from $6000 a year to $7500 a year per child. He said it did not take into account the sacrifices a spouse of an elected member might have to make when arranging childcare. Waimakariri District Council governance manager Sarah Nichols said the childcare allowance could not be used to pay a partner or grandparents. ''It is generally used for an independent person or for childcare facilities. ''We have had a handful of members who have claimed it in the time we've had it, and it has never been for anywhere near the total amount allowed.'' The Hurunui District Council last week voted against offering a childcare allowance, despite the support or four councillors. There was no opposition expressed by the 10 councillors or Mayor Dan Gordon to the remuneration package presented, which also includes payrises for community board members. The Remuneration Authority recently completed a review how it determines local government remuneration and well recommended no changes. It considers population, economic growth and the geographic area of the district when setting the remuneration pool for the deputy mayor councillors' salaries. Pay rates across the country vary from about $20,000 at the lower end, to more than $300,000 for Auckland mayor. The payrises for the deputy mayor and remaining nine councillors will be finalised after the local government elections on October 11. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
