News Release
5th July 2008
Hairdresser launches petition against increased bureaucracy
A petition, calling on Parliament to reconsider the unnecessary bureaucracy and paperwork to be imposed on hairdressers,
was launched at the Women’s Expo in Nelson today.
“The proposals in the Public Health Bill paint hairdressers as a public health menace”, says chief petitioner, Yvonne
Bowater, President of the Nelson/Marlborough Registered Hairdressers’ Association.
“There has been a complete lack of discussion with hairdressers and the requirements in this Bill will see hairdressers
tied up with a ridiculous amount of paperwork.”
“The hairdressers of New Zealand would have appreciated consultation on practical ways to care for their clients,
instead of the Government’s automatic position of increasing bureaucracy.”
The petition requests: That Parliament drop the Government’s proposed new law for hairdressers that will require every
salon to go through the unnecessary bureaucracy of assessing all the risks they pose to the public from their scissors,
shampoos and dyes, develop a Public Health Risk Management Plan, have this independently assessed, submit it to the
Health Ministry, get a consent from the local Council and display the required certificates; and instead consult with
hairdressers on common sense ways for salons to care for their clients.
In fact we already have a newly updated NZARH Occupational Health & Safety Guide for the Hairdressing which does cover putting together risk assessment. “We’ll be seeking signatures from
as many hairdressers and their clients as possible over the next six weeks. Our objective is to get the silly
provisions in the proposed law changed”, concludes Mrs Bowater.
ENDS