Ryan Bridge: Have we lost the plot on Health and Safety rules?
Early Edition with Ryan Bridge · Newstalk ZB
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Show Notes
Brooke van Velden's anti-health and safety crusade's taken a rather bizarre twist - it's the plot twist nobody saw coming.
She's consulting the public on safe activities kids are allowed to do on farms, like watering plants and collecting chicken eggs.
It's a bit of an odd strategy, but the strategy seems to be that there's a potential problem with the law.
Anyone under 15 is technically not allowed to do work on a working farm. You could get fined $50,000.
But nobody's been done for letting little Johnny pick up eggs.
So, it's a potential problem, but not an actual problem.
The Minister's strategy, surely, is to point out how ridiculous the law is in the first place.
But her response sounds a bit off for a Minister who says we need to get away from over regulation and consultation and nonsense and just let Kiwis get on with their lives.
She is quoted as saying:
“We’ll be consulting with farmers and the agriculture sector on the safety thresholds for light chores children can do on farms... while ensuring safety is not compromised.”
It does a bit gobbledegook. It sounds a bit unnecessary. It sounds a bit odd.
If there's a problem, then why not just change it? Why consult up the wazoo through till September, then waste time and money, no official advice, and blah blah blah.
If it's a problem, then make it go away. And quickly.
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