October 07, 2013
Forest companies warned over safety
Labour's forestry spokesperson Shane Jones is challenging giant international forest companies to meet their obligations as employers and investors.
Mr Jones says the rate of workplace injuries and deaths in the industry is a scandal.
He says it shows that not only is the National Government failing to enforce safety regulations but that forest owners are putting unacceptable levels of pressure on their workforce to maximise profits.
If Labour wins the election it will introduce legislation that could mean forest owners face corporate manslaughter charges if they don't do enough to prevent workplace deaths.
Mr Jones says the Government has given away control to companies and Timber Investment Management Organisations like Hancock Forest Management.
"Look they're owned by a crowd out of Canada and they manage more money than our GDP. They have $200 billion at their disposal. They have the resource, they have the people, they have the international reputation to come in and accept that while you can treat us as a profit centre, you've also got a duty to protect the people of New Zealand that work in your forests," he says.
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