MEDIA RELEASE: Australian and New Zealand Health and Safety professional associations sign collaboration agreement

MEDIA RELEASE

Australian and New Zealand Health and Safety professional associations sign collaboration agreement

The Safety Institute of Australia (to be known from July 1st as the Australian Institute for Health and Safety) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last week with the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management (NZISM) which sets the basis for knowledge sharing, provision of mutual member benefits, and working together on future projects.

At the signing ceremony in Auckland, SIA Chief Executive David Clarke acknowledged the significant changes occurring in health and safety in New Zealand, describing the next five years as a once in a generation opportunity to significantly improve workplace health and safety. Mr Clarke described the MoU between the two agencies as an opportunity to enhance the shared responsibility of representing the profession in each country, to learn from one another and assist each other to deliver high quality services to their mutual members. “Our two agencies have so much in common, including a shared belief in the power of collaboration to produce better results for everybody. This is our opportunity to support each other to improve health and safety practice in both countries.”

Echoing this sentiment, NZISM CEO Selena Armstrong welcomed the agreement, and said “it’s an exciting time to be in health and safety, and we are grasping the opportunity to support health and safety practitioners and professionals to improve their practice. We look forward to working closely with the new Australian Institute for Health and Safety to do that.”

Mr Clarke said that over the coming year, announcements would be made about joint approaches to member services and projects.