Goff: Labour would reinstate mine inspectors

Labour leader Phil Goff says his party would reinstate "check inspectors" for mines in New Zealand, in a policy announcement this morning. Photo / NZ Herald

The Government's moves to improve underground mine safety do not go far enough and Labour would restore the "check inspector'' system under which senior miners are responsible for safety checks each shift, party leader Phil Goff says.

Mr Goff announced the policy during his address to a Council of Trade Unions conference in Wellington this morning, canvassing battles the party intended to fight in the lead up to the election.

Mr Goff welcomed the Government's decision this week to increase the number of state employed mining inspectors, "but by itself that's not enough'' and Labour would reinstate check inspectors.

Check inspectors are senior miners responsible for the safety of workers, with the ability to order the immediate withdrawal of miners in dangerous conditions.

"National scrapped them in 1992. It's now time to bring them back. Labour will.''

Labour would also follow Queensland's model for mine safety.

Labour would have reintroduced check inspectors following a report on mine safety in 2008 but its election loss prevented that.

He said the November election was effectively a referendum on a series of crucial issues including workplace safety and fairness.

The first piece of National's legislation Labour would dump if it won was the 90 day "fire at will'' law he told the conference attended by a couple of hundred delegates.

"National's 90-day fire-at-will law is a direct attack on workers at a time when unemployment is already high.''

This year's election was also about, "whether people who currently avoid paying tax will have to pay their fair share, so that middle and low income New Zealanders can get tax relief''.

"It's about whether we keep our assets and own our future or National sells it off. It's about whether we have a vision and a plan to grow a smart economy, which is high tech, high skill and high wage.''

Mr Goff said Labour would tackle unemployment, Government debt, retain assets, impose a capital gains tax on secondary properties, remove GST off fresh fruit and vegetables, reinstate tax credits for investment in research and development.

The party would invest more in training, in apprenticeships, in skills and reverse National Party industrial legislation.

The party would strengthen collective bargaining.

"We need a new approach to tackling the persistent low wages in New Zealand. That won't involve reinstatement of national awards or compulsory unionism, but we will be looking at ways to make it easier for workers to participate in and benefit from being involved in collective bargaining.''

The party would announce pay and employment equity policy details on Women's Suffrage Day on September 19.