Nanaia Mahuta: Māori Party should stand up for workers

Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, August 19th, 2015 - 17 comments
Categories: health and safety, maori party, Nanaia Mahuta - Tags:

A statement from Labour’s Māori Development spokesperson and former leadership contender, Nanaia Mahuta:

The Government’s proposed Health and Safety Reform Bill does not go far enough to protect those in specific industries with the highest rates of workplace deaths, says Maori Development Spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta.

“We are told that Maori workers are more likely to be seriously injured at a rate of 18 per 1,000 in the workforce compared to Pacific (15 per 1,000), Pākehā (14 per 1,000) or Asian (6 per 1,000) workers.

 

…“There is no assurance that workers operating in a small sub-contracting team will be covered which may leave forestry workers exposed.

“Over the past five years approximately 15% of all workplace deaths occurred in the Waikato. These were spread across the Agriculture, Mining, Construction and Forestry sectors.

“Labour believes that the Government has watered down health and safety reform which should cover all workers in all workplaces.

“The Maori Party have a real opportunity to stand up for safety in the workplace and oppose this legislation. Workers deserve better,” says Nanaia Mahuta.

17 comments on “Nanaia Mahuta: Māori Party should stand up for workers ”

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  1. gsays 1
    19 August 2015 at 3:46 pm

    excellent move, now this needs to be followed up by, perhaps, nz first, calling on the dunney party to do the same.

    and if the maori party/united future will not ask why not.

    after all (if you are to cynically appeal to a tory) injured workers are not good for the bottom line/balance sheet.

  2. Weepus beard 2
    19 August 2015 at 4:18 pm

    The Maori Party have said they prefer to be in government because they then have a voice and therefore Maori have a voice.

    Yet there is nothing but silence.

    • Tracey 2.1
      19 August 2015 at 4:21 pm

      The silence on so many issues is deafening. Of course they might be making public comments but are not being reported…. It seems likely that IF a partner of the government were criticising the government it would be reported?

    • Chooky 2.2
      19 August 2015 at 6:19 pm

      they have thrown their voice in behind jonkey Nact ….and in so doing are betraying their own people

    • rhinocrates 2.3
      20 August 2015 at 1:24 pm

      Nonsense. They do have a voice, and their voice is heard… and what they say is ‘Yes.”

  3. Skinny 3
    19 August 2015 at 4:31 pm

    I will take heart that Ma Fox fronted up to last night’s gathering Little put on. NZF have been solid with Clayton Mitchell putting forward some good amendments. As usual it will be Dirty Dunne who will carry the day for Nact.

    I noticed Labour are copping a bit of grief for a lousy f/b post just before. They should stop that kind of petty stuff, appears some supporters are finding it tacky, I sort of agree.

  4. marty mars 4
    19 August 2015 at 4:44 pm

    Good call which I hope that Party takes up.

    The Māori Party is evolving – it is not the same Party it was when it was led by their previous leaders.

    Thanks for the macrons 🙂

  5. Clemgeopin 5
    19 August 2015 at 9:01 pm

    What about Dunne and Seymour? Do they too lack some intelligence, common sense, care, integrity, conscience and above all a little courage to vote against this evil inadequate bill and tell this stupid government to use some better sense?

    • Macro 5.1
      19 August 2015 at 9:34 pm

      Dunne said this morning on National Radio that – and I can’t remember his exact words – but something to the effect that “this was an ‘improvement’ on the existing legislation” – get that! “an improvement” – and in his most ‘sensible and reasonable’ tone of voice. Like he was really really concerned about safety in the workplace – but well you know it would cost employers sooooo much money
      How the sheeple of Ōhariu vote for this nitwit I fail to understand.

      • Clemgeopin 5.1.1
        19 August 2015 at 10:17 pm

        “How the sheeple of Ōhariu vote for this nitwit I fail to understand”

        Many people get fooled by gutless self serving liars masquerading as ‘leaders’ !

        I don’t know if there is a God, but if there is one, these dodgy buggers who live on this Earth for just a few selfish years will have to, hopefully, answer to him/her one day. Karma catch up!

      • rhinocrates 5.1.2
        20 August 2015 at 1:29 pm

        The same language used by sellouts everywhere – “I’ve made it ‘better’, I’ve made it ‘fairer’.” Just what Little says he’ll do with the 90-day law and what Parker wants to do with TPPA.

        We KNOW the government has puppets, we NEED an opposition.

        I’m glad that Nanaia Mahuta knows what Labour stands for.

    • Nordy 5.2
      19 August 2015 at 10:08 pm

      Yes, it seems that having an ‘active’ local member, almost regardless of what he says and does in parliament, is more important to many voters in Ohariu.

      It also has something to do with the fact that Ohariu has a median family income of over $100k – see the electorate profiles on the Parliament web site for very interesting data – and therefore is relatively wealthy compared to most electorates.
      It is therefore a ‘conservative’ electorate that will be difficult to change.

      From today’s on-line Herald:

      “Mr Dunne agreed to support the legislation today after negotiations with National.
      On his way into Parliament, he rejected claims the bill had been diluted, saying that it had in fact been strengthened. The definition of high-risk industries was now “far more comprehensive and far more effective”.”

      A classic ‘key’ approach – just say what sounds ‘reasonable’, what ‘people’ seemingly want to hear, regardless of the facts or the evidence.

  6. Clemgeopin 6
    19 August 2015 at 9:18 pm

    NATIONAL PARTY : Working to undermine workers.

    • Draco T Bastard 6.1
      19 August 2015 at 10:33 pm

      National Party: Working to enrich the wealthy through fucking over the workers.

    • miravox 6.2
      20 August 2015 at 12:35 am

      I’m struggling to understand how the list of apparently dangerous industries will include employee representation provisions in high hazard workplaces with fewer than 20 employees. That is, workplaces not fit for purpose such as those with blocked egress, earthquake risk buildings, unkempt, wrong fittings and fixtures insufficient hazard barriers; or where there is poor safety gear, poorly maintained tools, insufficient training and awareness etc, etc.

      I reckon there would be more than a few workers that would like a discussion with employers over these sorts of things in otherwise low-hazard small workplaces even though they’re not statistically highly dangerous industries.

  7. travellerev 7
    20 August 2015 at 9:06 am

    😆 😆 😆 Maori party for the workers 😆 😆 😆 they lost the little bit of credence they had when they dumped Hone Harawira. Now they are just representing the Maori corporates!