Fenton Darien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Fenton Darien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 06 November 2012. Volume:685;Page:6269. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
9. 
DARIEN FENTON (Labour) 
 to the  
Acting Minister of Labour 
: How will the proposed changes to employment law improve health and safety in the workplace? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Acting Minister of Labour) 
: 
 The Government signalled yesterday that it is going to accept most if not all of the recommendations of the royal commission. Some of these are going to be given effect to through changes in employment law such as the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. These changes are aimed at improving health and safety in the workplace by creating a more effective regulatory regime for health and safety in general and in particular for high-risk industries to ensure that disasters like Pike River never happen again. 
Darien Fenton 
: Does he accept the Pike River royal commission’s recommendation that legislation on worker participation should be strengthened so that workers have better representation and voice; if so does he think this should extend to all workplaces? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: As to the first part of the member’s question yes I do. That is one of the issues that I am very much looking forward to engaging with the Council of Trade Unions and the Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union on because I think that there is a valid involvement by workers. I would also say that another aspect of the review I am particularly interested in is a possible amendment to the 1992 legislation to make directors fully and squarely responsible for their governance obligations and what they need to do in so far as management is concerned. 
Darien Fenton 
: How will the changes to Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act that the Government is proposing which will remove protection for workers like cleaners when their employer changes provide stronger representation and voice in their health and safety in the workplace? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: Those proposed changes I say to the member are more about improving efficiencies and making bargaining fairer. But it is entirely possible to have a flexible employment relations regime and one that is utterly respectful of health and safety in employment. They are not mutually exclusive. 
Darien Fenton 
: How will the removal of the requirement to conclude collective bargaining and weakened rights for new workers give workers the strong representation and voice needed to improve health and safety in the workplace? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: I repeat what I said just a few seconds ago that creating a more flexible employment relations law is—it is utterly consistent in the context of that to have an effective health and safety regime where all players are cognisant of their responsibilities. Of course that is exactly what the royal commission said. Health and safety in the workplace is a team effort involving Government employers and employees. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Why did his Government reject the suggestion of check inspectors which came out of the discussion document and summary of submissions on the review of health and safety in mining which was started under this Government and scrapped by his predecessor? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: I am not sure whether he meant it was started under his Government. Is that what the member was trying to say? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Yes under the Labour Government. 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: Yes. Well I am not exactly certain as to the particular work that was undertaken when he was Minister. I had the impression that not a lot was done. But that is a matter I would need to check on and come back to him Thank you very much. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Question No. 10 Alfred Ngaro. [ 
Interruption 
] Order! I have called Alfred Ngaro.