Canterbury Railway Society Inc

News

Legislative Proposals Could Adversely Affect Heritage Groups

29/12/2001

The New Zealand Government is currently considering changes to the Health and Safety in Employment Act. Key areas of concern to rail preservation groups include:

• The potential classification of volunteers as employees for the purposes of application of the Act.
• The potential for compulsory modification of vintage equipment from its original form, which negates the basic purpose of preservation of our industrial heritage.
• The burden of liability placed on society executive members (and the bar on insurance to protect them).

The NZ national rail industry body, the National Federation of Rail Societies, is already acting on behalf of its member societies. Members and the public can also play their part in the democratic process by letting your local MP, or the select committee know the impact that these changes will have on rail heritage groups and all other organisations of this type. It's not just your local railway group but the community tennis club and scout group that may suffer under the new regime.

Full details of the Bill and the submission process are available at Department of Labour - HSE Amendment Information.