Changes to New Zealand’s health and safety laws will strip back key protections for small businesses and put working Kiwis at greater risk.

“New Zealand already has one of the highest rates of workplace deaths in the developed world. Despite this appalling record, the Government is choosing to weaken our health and safety laws,” Labour workplace relations spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.

“These changes are reckless and completely out of step with what business and labour experts want to see.

“Everyone deserves to come home from work safely. The Government had an opportunity to improve health and safety for working New Zealanders but has instead chosen to remove protections for working people, increasing the chance of tragedy.

“Employers, unions, and safety experts have come together to urge practical improvements, such as better system leadership, clearer regulations, and greater investment in WorkSafe. According to WorkSafe data, 17 people die every week in New Zealand as consequence of their work. It also shows that every 15 minutes, someone is injured seriously enough to spend a week away from work.

“The Government is doing to health and safety what they did to school lunches: gutting something vital and leaving people worse off.

“This Government has shown time and again that it’s more interested in scoring ideological points rather than listening to experts. Health and safety isn’t a political game, it’s about making sure everyone gets home safely,” Jan Tinetti said.

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