What About Health and Safety?

Health and safety at work is literally a life and death issue. Yet not enough is being done to protect workers. And our world-class Accident Compensation scheme is under constant attack by this Government.

• There is a high level of workplace deaths, accidents and industrial disease but there is inadequate regulation and enforcement of health and safety standards.
• Funding for health and safety education has been cut.
• The National Government has reduced entitlements to ACC including some coverage for hearing loss. Also workers can be required to return to work in an unfamiliar job or lose compensation.
• The National Government says it will open up the work account of ACC to allow a greater role for private insurance companies.
• The National Government has brought in ‘experience rating’ which will mean pressure on workers not to report accidents.
• The National Government has constantly undermined ACC despite the fact that the Price Waterhouse Coopers extensive report into the scheme said it was one of the most comprehensive, administratively efficient and cost effective schemes in the world.

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