Outdoors NZ media release
9 May 2013
Outdoors New Zealand Recognised As Audit Safety Provider
Outdoors New Zealand (ONZ) is pleased to be one of the safety audit providers approved by the Ministry of Business,
Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to carry out safety audits of adventure activity operators.
OutdoorsMark, the national outdoor safety audit programme managed by ONZ, is one of three safety audit programmes
recognised under the new audit standard. OutdoorsMark is also the only audit programme approved to audit all of the 17
activities under the Adventure Activities Regulations 2011.
ONZ Chief Executive, Garth Dawson, says the recognition of the approved audit providers is another step in making the
outdoor recreation community safer.
“The New Zealand outdoors sector is establishing one of the most comprehensive adventure safety environments in the
world. This is a shared effort, achieved through government support and close collaboration with the outdoors
community,” he says.
“New Zealand is building a better risk management framework with a unique combination of regulation, education and
compliance that increases the assurance of safe operating practices in New Zealand's outdoors.”
Minister of Labour, Hon. Simon Bridges, says the audit providers have been independently assessed against an
international auditing standard and against their ability to apply the new safety standard.
“They are already active in auditing the safety management systems of adventure activity operators and have the
capability to carry out audits objectively,” he says.
Outdoor recreation operators, including organisations in outdoor education, outdoor leisure and outdoor adventure
tourism, should embrace these changes in safety management. Even organisations that are not required by the regulation
to undergo a safety audit should be operating to the same safety standards.
The expectations of safety in the outdoors have evolved. While organisations in the outdoor recreation community have
been committed to providing enjoyable and safe experiences in the outdoors for years, these changes ensure that there
are now coherent structures and resources in place to support them.
About OutdoorsMark and Outdoors New Zealand
OutdoorsMark has been running for nine years and is a national outdoor safety audit programme designed by the New
Zealand outdoors sector for the New Zealand outdoors sector.
ONZ is the peak organisation providing leadership, support and advocacy for the outdoors community.
Our vision is to see people in New Zealand enjoying the opportunity for positive outdoor recreation, outdoor education
and adventure tourism experiences through a coherent, vibrant, and effective outdoors community.
ENDS