Health and Safety Reform: Watch the road not the cones

Health and Safety Reform: Watch the road not the cones
The minister for workplace relations and safety, Brooke van Velden. (Image: NZME)
Jeff Sissons
Early signs for the minister for workplace relations and safety, Brooke van Velden’s review of the health and safety system, are not promising. The minister said in her press release: “Our health and safety culture can be summed up by the sea of orange road cones that have taken over the country. From Santa parades to property development, you can’t get a lot done without having to set up a barricade of cones.”There’s some truth to the minister’s comments on cones: until recently, traffic management was...

More Opinion

NZSA: fighting for shareholders
Markets

Oliver Mander: NZSA: fighting for shareholders

CEO pushes back at criticism its 'lost its way'.

Oliver Mander 27 Aug 2025
Councils’ innovation dilemma
Opinion

Peter Griffin: Councils’ innovation dilemma

Our major cities still have the ingredients to be tech talent and investment centres.

Peter Griffin 27 Aug 2025
KiwiSaver is leaking
Opinion

David Chaplin: KiwiSaver is leaking

If KiwiSaver keeps drifting away from its purpose, it might as well not exist at all.

David Chaplin 26 Aug 2025
The Macro Series: NZ's North Star
Opinion

Simon Robertson: The Macro Series: NZ's North Star

NZ's huge advantage is that it is not in the business of heavy manufacturing.

Simon Robertson 23 Aug 2025