Moroney Sue: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMoroney Sue: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 10 March 2016. Volume:711;Page:9606. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.SUE MORONEY (Labour) to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: How many deaths and serious harm injuries have occurred in agriculture since the Health and Safety Reform Bill was passed in Parliament in 2015?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety): I am advised that there have been 203 serious harm notifications to WorkSafe New Zealand and 8 fatalities reported in agriculture since the legislation was passed on 27 August 2015.Sue Moroney: Given those statistics and the fact that agriculture accounted for over half of workplace deaths in 2015 why has he issued health and safety regulations where agriculture is missing from the list of high-risk sectors or industries?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: Firstly although it is a relatively short period of time the fatality rate since 27 August has fallen by more than a third when compared with the corresponding period in the previous year. The fact that a worker representation system is not compulsory when asked for in agriculture is not a reflection of the fact that there are not significant risks in agriculture but it is also by a country mile our largest industry and will always I think have a reasonably significant proportion of the injuries that occur at work.Sue Moroney: They once used to be ambitious for New Zealand but there you go.Mr SPEAKER: Order! Just ask the question.Sue Moroney: Is he aware that the death rate among agricultural workers was more than 19 times that of non-agricultural workers in 2015 and if that is not high risk what is?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: That may very well be the case. I am also aware that the road toll in the UK was significantly higher than New Zealand’s but when measured on a proportionate basis its road safety record is twice as good as ours. So it really depends on the size of the industry and the trajectory that it is on. It is a very very large industry and it is trending downwards.Sue Moroney: Just in light of that answer I seek leave to table for the Minister’s information—Mr SPEAKER: Order! No it is not for the Minister’s information it is for the House’s and the member does not need to say that. Just seek leave to table the document; I may put the leave.Sue Moroney: I seek leave to table a document showing that on a proportionate basis—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I think we are getting nowhere here. What is the source of the document and the date?Sue Moroney: The source of the document is the Parliamentary Library. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! [Interruption] Order! I will count that as one all. Would the member simply describe the document and the date of it. I may put the leave and we will see what happens.Sue Moroney: I was—sure. So—Hon Gerry Brownlee: Closed shop—depository for dust.Sue Moroney: —the source of the document is the Parliamentary Library—Mr Brownlee—the date is 10 March andit shows that proportionately non-agricultural workers—sorry that agricultural workers—Mr SPEAKER: Order! We have heard enough. I will put—[Interruption] Order! The member will resume her seat. I will put the leave. Leave is sought to table that particular information which may be of use to members. Is there any objection? There is.Sue Moroney: Well is the Minister aware then that ACC confirmed at the select committee 4 weeks ago that agriculture is a high-risk industry?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: The question is not whether or not agriculture is a material risk to workers—I accept that. There is no question about that. But it also needs to be recognised that anybody who is not required to have a mandatory worker representation system is not being let off the hook in respect of the Health and Safety at Work Act which has not come into force yet—it is coming into force on 4 April. There are very onerous obligations on all workers and all employers in this country to participate effectively in health and safety practice in New Zealand.Sue Moroney: Well given WorkSafe’s stated position that it is reluctant to prosecute for deaths and serious injury on farms because the chair does not “think that’s a productive way to bring change in that sector” is it now the situation that under his leadership farms are outside the full protection of health and safety laws?Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE: Speaking to the last part of the question that is nonsense. What Professor Coster said to the select committee and which I support is that WorkSafe New Zealand is required—and I expect it—to be a partner in business not a punisher of it and the first part of partnership is to engage and to educate. In 2015 there were more than 10000 serious harm notifications across all industries in New Zealand but only 105 prosecutions. Overwhelmingly the task is for it to work with business not against it to ensure that workers go home safely in the evening.