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: 16 August 2011. Volume:675;Page:20899. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
12. 
DARIEN FENTON (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Labour 
: Does she stand by her statement about making changes to mine safety that “until the royal commission of inquiry makes its findings we will wait accordingly”? 
Hon DAVID CARTER (Minister of Agriculture) 
 on behalf of the Minister of Labour: Yes but she also stands by her statement on 4 August to this House: “I can confirm that we are certainly taking a close look at the resources and expertise in the department to ensure that it can carry out its role of overseeing the mining sector.” 
Darien Fenton 
: Is her announcement yesterday of a High Hazards Unit an admission that mine safety is inadequate in New Zealand; if so why did she not take action on the 2009 Department of Labour report that called for new safety measures in underground mining and the repeated calls from Opposition MPs mine workers and unions to do something about the situation in mines since the Pike River mine tragedy? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: No. The independent internal review of the department’s inspectorate was ordered immediately after the Pike River tragedy. It actually commended the department’s approach and the work of the inspectors while also pointing out areas for improvement. The Government has therefore acted. 
Darien Fenton 
: If she is prepared to act now on resourcing a new High Hazards Unit why would she not also move to strengthen mine safety regulations so the new mines inspectors have adequate standards to enforce? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: She has stated categorically in this House that she will wait until the conclusions of the inquiry are known so we then know some of the causes of the tragedy be they operational or regulatory. Then the Government will have the opportunity and will respond. 
Darien Fenton 
: What steps if any will she be taking to restore mine check inspectors as another essential part of the mine safety triangle or will that have to wait until 2013 as well? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: The first steps taken are the increase in the number of inspectors and chief inspectors. Further work and further involvement of these inspectors will develop as we get the findings of the royal commission. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: Does the announcement of the set-up of the High Hazards Unit confirm that her response to me in June 2010 when she said of employers: “They are in a good position to understand the hazards arising in the workplace and are best placed to take steps to control them.” was fatally flawed? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: No not at all. As I said in answer to an earlier question immediately after the disaster the department ordered an independent review. We are responding to some of the recommendations of that independent review. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: Does the appointment of the High Hazards Unit finally now confirm the view that “the coal industry can no longer overlook the continuing under-resourced and incompetent nature of the existing bureaucratic structure.” which was a view expressed indeed in 1995 by Mr Bill Brazil a former mines inspector? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: No it does not but it is appropriate to point out to the House that over the 9 years of the Labour Government it made no attempt to increase the number of inspectors.