WorkSafe New Zealand has announced it will launch a major focus on reducing farm accidents involving farm vehicles with its Safer Vehicles, Safer Farms programme.
Rural commentator Don Carson spoke to The Country's Rowena Duncum about the programme saying "it's an excellent move," although he has reservations about it being implemented by WorkSafe.
"They are the ones that come along and say 'you're not wearing a helmet on a quad bike we're going to fine you $40,000' and not surprisingly, gets the farmer's back up when they see somebody riding a cycle along the road where it's equally illegal not to wear a helmet and the police turn a blind eye."
Carson hopes the programme will focus on identifying problems with machinery by talking to the people who use them rather than "looking for fault and penalties and blame."
Also in today's interview - Carson talks about the political and legal obstacles in New Zealand around using genetic manipulation in pest control and the latest development in the Government's One Billion Trees campaign.
