57493 (2025). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety

Written Question

Published date: 22 Dec 2025

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	57493 (2025)
Question asked:	09 Dec 2025
Member asking:	Hon Jan Tinetti
Portfolio:	Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety
Minister replying:	Hon Brooke van Velden
Answer received:	16 Dec 2025
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_57493_2025
Document guid:	cf0fdef8-c4fb-47e7-81d9-763151f7b58e

57493 (2025). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: What steps has the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) taken, if any, to assess the occupational health risks to workers handling play sand that may contain asbestos?

Hon Brooke van Velden: Within my Workplace Relations and Safety portfolio, MBIE has not undertaken specific assessments of occupational health risks to workers handling play sand that may contain asbestos. MBIE’s Consumer Services Team (within the Commerce and Consumer Affairs portfolio) is working with retailers and suppliers to identify hazardous products that may be on sale in New Zealand following the recent concerns about asbestos contamination.