Industry 4.0, and the increasing automation, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), is transforming the work of many industries across the Waikato rohe.

In May 2021 changes were proposed to the regulations that sit under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

We received 137 applications for Research Programmes funding in the 2024 round of the Endeavour Fund and 19 were approved for funding. We also continue to fund 73 Research Programmes awarded in previous years.

The future of work is being shaped by 4 broad global megatrends: technology change, demographic change, globalisation and climate change. These global trends create both risks and opportunities for New Zealand.

There has already been significant work to support the energy transition.

The first phase of the Tourism Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) focused on enabling Better Work for the tourism industry.

To lead the development of the Tourism ITP, a Leadership Group was established.

The 13-month review is complete and the Government has given its response. It investigated whether the current electricity market delivered a fair and equitable price to consumers. It also considered improvements to future-proof the sector and its governance structures.

We are proposing major changes to New Zealand’s building laws to improve the quality of building work. These are the most significant reforms since the current Building Act was introduced in 2004.