Though the change proposal would disestablish 180 roles, WorkSafe says it is aiming to increase frontline services over time
WorkSafe New Zealand opened consultation for its staff on its organisational change proposal on 23 October.
The change proposal aims to deliver WorkSafe’s new strategy and increase its frontline services over time.
“Our new strategy defines how we will undertake our role as Aotearoa New Zealand’s primary work health and safety regulator,” says Interim Chief Executive Kane Patena.
“This involves a mix of enforcement, engagement and permitting activities, with a targeted focus on high-risk sectors and high-risk work activities.
“To contribute to better work health and safety outcomes and help businesses manage risks we are proposing to increase our frontline services, which includes investing an additional $2.7 million annually into growing our inspectorate. In turn, we are proposing to simplify our structure, reduce some non-frontline roles, and ensure all roles are clearly linked to strategic delivery.”
Kane Patena says the strategic reset requires a shift in how roles and funding will be allocated in the proposed structure. WorkSafe’s allocated budget is less than last financial year due to the cessation of ACC and time-limited funding.
While the proposal aims to increase frontline services over time, there would be an overall reduction of approximately 20 roles, WorkSafe says.
The proposal involves disestablishing 180 roles (of which approximately 55 – 60 are currently vacant) and establishing 140 new roles.
WorkSafe says where possible, staff will be redeployed into future roles.
“We are also proposing to simplify the structure, streamline our non-frontline functions and ensure all roles are clearly linked to strategic delivery.”
Following pre-consultation engagement with the Public Service Association (PSA), the all-staff consultation period will run until 8 November 2024.
The PSA said in April that further job cuts at WorkSafe risks making workplaces less safe, and New Zealand’s already poor worker safety record even worse.
In November 2023 WorkSafe disestablished 113 roles, which the PSA said has put the regulator under pressure to do more with less.
“Gutting WorkSafe was dangerous when it happened under the last government – it would be even more dangerous to make further cuts now,” PSA National Secretary Duane Leo says.
“With the rate of workplace deaths and injuries in Aotearoa so staggeringly high, we must have a strong organisation that has the resources to properly regulate and educate. That’s what will help ensure workers are coming home safely at the end of the day.”
Leo says concerns about the direction of health and safety under the present government were amplified after Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden said she didn’t agree that New Zealand needs more workplace safety inspectors.
He says the statement flies in the face of international experience, while the Minister also made comments about the level of understanding of businesses about their health and safety obligations, based on anecdotal evidence.
Leo says this reliance on such subjective opinion rather than evidence-based policy is deeply worrying for the PSA.
“The Minister’s obvious lack of understanding of health and safety law, the history of our legislation, how the system works, and associated data are likely to lead to a watered-down Health & Safety Act and a resulting escalation of serious harm, death, and occupational illness associated with unsafe workplace practices.”
