Politics

MPs in line over health and safety - Woodhouse

16:11 pm on 25 June 2015

Government MPs are now on board with proposed new health and safety laws, Workplace Minister Michael Woodhouse says.

Minister Michael Woodhouse in question time. Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

The controversial legislation will be reported back to Parliament at the end of July after some of Mr Woodhouse's caucus colleagues objected to what was in it.

They particularly opposed clauses they believed created too much red tape for small businesses and farmers.

The minister said, following talks, there were likely to be further minor and technical changes to the bill.

"While there was a lot of scuttlebutt about what was going on in the caucus, most of it was the same myth and legend that we have around health and safety.

"The caucus is absolutely firmly behind the need to make sure we have a robust health and safety framework in place.''

Mr Woodhouse said any changes would be on top of what select committee had already agreed to.