The New Zealand Government has announced the formation of a new stand-alone agency focused on lifiting the country’s workplace health and safety record.

Labour Minister Simon Bridges said the creation of the new agency was one of the key recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

“The new agency will have a dedicated focus on health and safety and underlines the Government’s strong commitment to addressing New Zealand’s workplace fatality and serious injury rates,” Mr Bridges said.

“We have a firm target of a 25 per cent reduction of these rates by 2020.

“The Crown agent will enforce workplace health and safety regulations and work with employers and employees to promote and embed good health and safety practices.

“Today’s announcement is a significant step in the Government’s workplace health and safety reform programme. It will sit alongside the work of the Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety which is due to report back at the end of April.”

Workplace health and safety functions, currently executed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, will transfer to the new agency, which is expected to be in place by December this year.

Legislation to establish the new agency is expected to be introduced before Parliament in June.