Join the Hon Ian Lees-Galloway and other special guests for a breakfast and the official launch of the incorporated society.

Forum Programme:

• 20 mins networking/breakfast
• Forum background from Malika Rose / Judy Currie,
• Comment from representatives of QLDC & CODC regarding the importance of improving H&S in the region
• Growth of the forum session, facilitated by Francois Barton
• Hon Iain Lees-Galloway speech
• Q&A

Hon Iain Lees-Galloway has been the Member of Parliament for Palmerston North since 2008, and in 2017 was appointed Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Minister of Immigration and Minister for ACC.

Iain has been a forward thinking minister and can be quoted as saying "I want to ensure that we are reducing all types of significant harm at work - this includes broadening the focus from acute harm to make sure we're managing wider health risks, including mental health." and “New Zealand has made good progress in recent years in reducing the rate of acute harm. However, urgent work still remains. I believe that we can be among world leaders for healthy and safe workplaces,”

ACC will also be providing an update on the changes to their local business support team and the focuses going forward. 

If you have any questions that you would like us to ask the Minister for you please send them to admin@cohsf.org.nz 

Growth of the forum session

This session will be facilitated by Francois Barton the Executive Director of the Business Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum.

The two key questions that will be asked are:

• What can I give to this Forum?
• What can I take  from this Forum?

This will be followed by some key lessons learnt from the Business Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum.

Francois Barton took over as Forum Executive Director in May 2015.

Prior to joining the Forum Francois established and ran WorkSafe NZ’s national programme team, which has delivered major safety campaigns in construction, agriculture, forestry and manufacturing.

He previously held roles at MBIE - including being involved in early discussions that led to the development of the Canterbury Safety Rebuild Charter - and at the Department of Labour, where he was part of the team that set up the Forum in 2010.