Little Andrew: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLittle Andrew: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 18 August 2015. Volume:707;Page:5841. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]4.ANDREW LITTLE (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement made after the Pike River disaster that “We’re doing everything we can to make sure this tragedy isn’t repeated”; if so does he agree with Olivia Monk sister of Michael Monk who was killed at Pike River that “there have been 291 deaths since Pike River in New Zealand within the workplace and that is unacceptable”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes; and yes that it is unacceptable. That is why the Government has conducted the most significant review of workplace health and safety in more than two decades. However it should be noted that I am advised by WorkSafe New Zealand that since Pike River the number of fatalities has been 233. I am further advised that in the 5 years prior to Pike River there were 331 fatalities so the number is trending down.Andrew Little: In light of the presence around Parliament today of some of the families of the Pike River victims is the real reason for the delay in the passage of the Health and Safety Reform Bill that there are internal divisions in the National Government and difficulties with support parties?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No. There is a genuine desire and also a need to work with our support partners to actually get the legislation correct. Actually I stand by the Government’s record in health and safety which has been to set up the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy to establish the High Hazards Unit and to establish the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety. We have introduced new underground mining regulations we set up WorkSafe as a single-focus independent health regulator we provided $35 million of additional funding and we have boosted up to 167 the total number of health and safety inspectors.Andrew Little: Does he stand by his statement that “There have been too many deaths on farms for there not to be changes.”; if so would he guarantee that agriculture will be included as a high-risk industry under the Health and Safety Reform Bill?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes I stand by my statement. No I would not guarantee that agriculture with 20 or fewer employees would be deemed high risk. What the Government will do is take the best advice and the Minister will be introducing that tomorrow.Andrew Little: How many deaths have there been in the agriculture sector since 2010 and what is that as a proportion of the workforce in that industry?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I do not have that information with me. The member would need to put it down in writing and I am more than happy to get the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety to give it to him.Andrew Little: Given that around 290 more New Zealanders have died at work since the 29 deaths at Pike River despite his promise of better laws—Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Obviously it is important that the House is not misled—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! That is not going to help the order of the House. I heard the answer that the Prime Minister gave. The Leader of the Opposition is now quoting another figure. It is in order for the Leader of the Opposition to do so but I imagine that the response will be fairly robust when the question is completed. I invite Andrew Little to complete his question.Andrew Little: Given that around 290 more New Zealanders have died at work since the 29 deaths at Pike River despite his promise of better laws does he seriously think that he has done enough to protect Kiwis at work?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I think the member is deliberately misleading the House. The correct number is 233.Andrew Little: Will he come to the workplace safety meeting today at 6 o’clock in the Legislative Council Chamber and will he look the Pike River families in the eye and tell them that he has done all he can to prevent other families from suffering losses like theirs?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I have met with the families on many many occasions. I would be simply more than happy to reaffirm to the families that this Government has utterly stood behind the commitments that it has made and I personally have utterly stood behind those commitments. They include setting up the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy and establishing the High Hazards Unit with 17 specialist inspectors to oversee the safety of our mining and petroleum sectors. We have established the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety. We have introduced new underground mining regulations. We have set up WorkSafe as the single-focus independent health and safety regulator. We have provided $35 million of additional funding for the regulator bringing total resourcing to $80 million per year. We have boosted the number of health and safety inspectors to 167. We have developed the health and safety charter in Christchurch to assist the Canterbury rebuild. We have introduced a safety assurance regime for adventure activity operators. We have supported the industry-led Forest Industry Safety Council. We have worked with industry to introduce the Safer Farms initiative to—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Bring the answer to a conclusion.