Waitakere marks Workers’ Memorial Day

Local residents who have died in work-related accidents will be remembered at a special event in Henderson on Sunday 27 April.

Featuring memorial plantings, guest speakers and a barbecue lunch, the event will take place at 12 noon at the City’s Workers’ Memorial Garden at the Corban Reserve in Henderson Valley Road. Organised by Waitakere City Council and the Council of Trade Unions, the event coincides with International Workers’ Memorial Day (observed on 28 April) and is open to all.

The garden was established last year in memory of Michael Aherne, who was killed while working at the old Corban Reserve landfill. However, it is now being developed by the Council, unions and the community as a larger memorial garden, with the aim of raising awareness of health and safety issues in the workplace.

Last year, the New Zealand Government investigated about 74 work-related deaths, but it is believed that the true workplace death toll could be much higher.

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