Labour Minister Simon Bridges is calling for nominations to an establishment board to oversee the formation of a new workplace health and safety agency announced by the Government in February. The new agency, in the form of a Crown agent, is a key recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

'The Crown agent will enforce workplace health and safety regulations and work with employers and employees to promote and embed good health and safety practices,' says Bridges. 'I anticipate the establishment board will be made up of members with strong governance experience and expert knowledge of workplace health and safety issues. The members will be responsible for setting the strategic direction of the new entity which will be dedicated to addressing New Zealand's workplace fatality and serious injury rates.'

Mr Bridges says the establishment board is expected to be in place by July and it will oversee the work needed for a smooth transition of health and safety functions from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to the Crown agent.

The Crown agent is expected to be in place by December.

→ For more information visit
http://www.mbie.govt.nz/what-we-do/pike-river-implementation-plan/new-workplace-health-and-safety-agency-to-be-established

Summarised from a media release by Labour Minister Simon Bridges, 24 April 2013.

Data that provides information from large district health boards from the 2011/12 New Zealand Health Survey was released on 18 April 2013. 'The survey contains information about smoking, nutrition, access to healthcare services, oral health, and a range of health conditions and other indicators, based on data collected from more than 12 000 adults and 4000 children,' says Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew.

The information in the overall survey and the regional statistics will be used by the Ministry of Health, district health boards, public health units, and health providers for planning purposes.

→ Read the full media release (http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/201112-nz-health-survey-regional-data-released)

→ View the Regional results from the 2011/12 New Zealand Health Survey(http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/regional-results-2011-12-new-zealand-health-survey)

Summarised from a New Zealand Government media release by Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew, 18 April 2013.