Get up to speed on the Government’s proposed reforms to the Health and Safety at Work Act. Explore key changes under consideration, including exemptions for small, low-risk businesses, clearer directors’ duties, industry-led ACOPs, and reduced notification requirements. Unpack the proposed shifts in WorkSafe’s role, changes to landowner liability, and efforts to streamline overlapping regulatory systems. Attendance is essential to understand what these changes could mean in practice.
Wednesday, 19 November 2025
1.00pm to 2.00pm Implications of the Proposed Health and Safety at Work Act Reforms
- Exemptions for small, low risk businesses (SLRs)
- Clarification of directors’ duties
- Industry-led Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs)
- Reduced notification requirements
- Landowner liability for other PCBUs’ recreational activities
- Shifting WorkSafe’s focus from enforcement to education
- Removing overlap between HSWA and other regulatory systems
Presented by Tim Clarke, Barrister, Richmond Chambers; Leading barrister in Employment and Industrial Relations, Doyle's Guide 2025
Description
Attend and earn 1 CPD hour
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the Government’s proposed reforms to the Health and Safety at Work Act.
- Unpack the key proposed changes
Chair
Fiona McMillan, Partner, Lane Neave
Presenters
Fiona McMillan, Partner, Lane NeaveFiona is the Auckland Partner of the Employment Law team and commenced her career with Lane Neave in 2007. Fiona and her team act for both employees and employers in matters involving employment relations, health and safety, human rights, privacy and ACC. Fiona advises on all aspects of termination including performance management, misconduct, serious misconduct, medical incapacity, restructurings and redundancies and negotiated exits. She also specialises in collective bargaining, human rights commission matter and independent external investigations. In 2019, Fiona undertook the certification from the Association of Workplace Investigators in Vail, Colorado, USA. Fiona regularly represents employers in Mediations, Employment Relations Authority Investigation meetings and the Employment Court. She acted as counsel in the leading case on penalties – Borsboom v PVT Limited and the leading case on union discrimination – Lamont and Others v Ritchies Transport Holdings Limited. Fiona was nominated for Young Lawyer of the Year at the 2016 Law Awards. In 2022, she was recognised as an Elite Woman in NZ Lawyer’s annual rankings. Also in 2022, Fiona was named in the Doyle’s Guide as a recommended Employment Lawyer. Fiona has also been recognised in Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading employment and health and safety practitioner in New Zealand.
Tim Clarke, Barrister, Richmond Chambers
Tim Clarke is an experienced litigator with a specialist focus on employment and workplace safety law. His practice spans advocacy in the courts of general jurisdiction (including appellate courts), the Employment Court and Employment Relations Authority, Human Rights Review Tribunal, mediation, and workplace investigations. Tim accepts instructions to act as counsel, mediator in relation to employment disputes, or to conduct independent workplace investigations. Tim is an Associate Member of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ) and the Resolution Institute. He is also a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI). He has been a member of the Health and Safety Committee of The Law Association (formerly ADLS) from 2016 to the present and is a member of the Employment Law and Privacy Committee of the New Zealand Bar Association.
This seminar is part of a series
Employment Law Series 2025
Stay ahead in the fast-changing employment law landscape with this five-part webinar series, covering the most pressing developments and emerging trends shaping workplace practice in New Zealand. From the evolving world of workplace investigations, the latest significant case law, and the rise of mental wellbeing claims, to proposed reforms to the Health and Safety at Work Act and key amendments to the Employment Relations Act, each session delivers targeted insights from leading experts. Gain practical strategies, stay compliant, and ensure your workplace advice is informed by the most up-to-date legal and procedural changes. Attend individual sessions or the full series to earn up to 5 CPD hours.
Description
Attend the complete series and earn 5 CPD hours
If you register for the full series as a live online product after the date of an individual session, you will be sent the recording for the sessions that have passed. Alternatively, you can register for individual sessions by following the links below.
View series listing
