National Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown welcomes today’s announcement that the Transport Accident Investigation Commission will investigate port safety in New Zealand but says the Government should also look at health and safety regulations.

“Our hearts go out to the families of those who have lost loved ones following these tragic incidents. Everyone should be able to go to work and come home safely at the end of the day,” Mr Brown says.

“Any death at a workplace must be taken seriously. National supports the investigation to understand what is going on at our ports as they continue to experience serious health and safety issues.

“But the Government needs to look at whether recent health and safety regulation is actually making these workplaces safer.

“It is easy for the Government to load up businesses with additional regulations and bureaucracy, but if it isn’t actually making our workplaces safer then there needs to be a serious look at what does need to be done to make a real difference.

“New Zealand ports are under intense pressure at the moment with supply and productivity challenges as we try to get our goods to markets. However, there is clearly also a serious issue around the health and safety of workers at our ports.

“Having the right health and safety regulations is critical to keeping workers safe and ensuring that these supply chains can operate safely and efficiently.”