The Government’s workplace safety regulator needs reform to move away from a culture of “fear”, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says.
Speaking to Q+A this morning, Van Velden defended her plans to shake up the health and safety regulator’s approach, saying businesses were “so fearful of WorkSafe” they were spending too much time on paperwork rather than identifying critical risks.
“I went around the country and did consultation very differently to previous governments. I went to try and talk to as many different business owners and workers from across New Zealand as possible,” she said.
“The feedback on WorkSafe was stark. It was really bad, and there was a huge culture of fear around our regulator for health and safety,” van Velden said, adding that it would still prosecute cases of “genuine negligence” but focus more on providing guidance.
The interview also covered the Government’s controversial pay equity changes, with van Velden acknowledging she didn’t consult those affected despite her party’s stance on better lawmaking with standards of consultation.
“Under normal circumstances, we would wish to follow very strong regulatory standards. That is core to the ACT Party principles. This is a policy that I said at the start of my term I was interested in pursuing,” the minister said.
“It became really clear this year that my Cabinet colleagues wanted me to work on this as quickly as I could. I am a team player, and so I did my job.”
Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand On Air