Former All Black Matthew Cooper pleads health and safety case for small sports bodies

Matthew Cooper, the chief executive of Sport Waikato. Photo / File

Matthew Cooper said he was as nervous at Parliament today as he was at Athletic Park in 1992 wearing an All Black jersey for the first time against the Irish.

Cooper, the chief executive of Sport Waikato, was appearing before MPs on the education and workforce committee to speak about a petition under his name supporting changes to health and safety laws which he believes disadvantage small voluntary organisations.

The current Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 applies to all people conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) where one or more people are employed, including volunteer associations.

Cooper was supporting a member's bill in the name of Whanganui MP Harete Hipango which would exclude volunteer associations if they employed people for a total of no more than 100 hours a week.

Cooper said he was not making the submission for Sport Waikato, which employed 80 people, but out of concern form smaller sport and recreation organisations across the country – "voluntary organisations that are run by the mums, dads, aunties and uncles and grandparents in communities of Aotearoa New Zealand."

He had been a sporting administrator for 17 years.

"Over that time, I can assure you that our volunteer numbers are falling and it's my view that a lot of that has to do with over-compliance and the fear of enforcement linked to being liable.

"They are all small players but they are significant in the bigger sport and recreation wheel."

The act allows for penalties of up to $300,0000 on individuals running PCBUs who fail to meet their obligations to provide a safe workplace.

Cooper said there were 7500 not-for-profit organisations which employed one to five staff.
"This is the issue at the moment which is creating a real concern for us because it is diminishing. We feel as though the volunteer numbers are declining.

"There's too many rules and we are losing that important I suppose crown jewel of New Zealand and that is the volunteer base."

Asked later how he felt about his debut before a select committee, he said he was probably equally nervous about the appearance as he was in his first test.

"A good environment and it's one of those other experiences in life that you do."