“New Zealand has made good progress in recent years in reducing the rate of acute harm. However, urgent work still remains. I believe that we can be among world leaders for healthy and safe workplaces,” says Mr Lees-Galloway.

“The Strategy outlines an opportunity to drive ambitious, sustained and system-wide improvements in our health and safety performance to significantly lift the wellbeing and living standards of all workers and their families in New Zealand.

“I want to ensure that we are reducing all types of significant harm at work – this includes broadening the focus from acute harm to make sure we’re managing wider health risks, including mental health.

“A key priority highlighted in the Strategy is ensuring better outcomes for Māori, and other workers at greater risk who are over represented in injury statistics and high-risk sectors, such as forestry and construction, or more likely to be engaged in temporary, geographically remote or precarious employment.

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