$20,000 Fine For Dangerous Driving Causing Death; $500,000 Fine For Small Business Causing Stress

Wednesday 31 Oct 2001

Employers knee-capped by the ERA and the RMA will soon have more anti-business legislation to deal with if the Government has its way, ACT Leader Richard Prebble said.

"It is ironic that on the same day the Government passes the buck on slumping business confidence, the Labour Minister has tabled punitive amendments to the Health and Safety in Employment Act.

"We need to increase business confidence. The only way is to lower taxes and decrease the risk of doing business in New Zealand. This mean-spirited Government seems determined to punish employers for setting up shop.

"Letting unions prosecute employers is opening up employers to blackmail. Prosecution is now going to be wielded as an industrial weapon.

"Stopping businesses from insuring against health and safety fines isn't going to help employers or employees.

"The maximum fine for dangerous driving causing death is just $20,000, but a small business under this legislation can be hit with half a million dollar fine for causing stress at work!

"It's anti-business ideology being put on the statute books," Mr Prebble said.

ENDS

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