Chris Jordan last night said he was "somewhat speechless" after yesterday's announcement that regulations would not come in to force until October 1 next year and that operators would even then have up to a further three years' grace before they were legally required to hold a current safety certificate.
The 2008 death of Mr Jordan's daughter, Emily Jordan (21), who drowned after becoming trapped against a rock underwater during a commercial river-boarding trip, sparked a year-long review of New Zealand's adventure tourism and outdoor commercial sectors.
The recommendations of the review were released in August and yesterday Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson announced details of the new regulations.
They include that from October 1 next year it will be an offence under the Health and Safety in Employment Act to provide activities involving "significant hazards" and instruction or leadership without a safety audit certificate.
Operators will be given three years to get registered by obtaining the certificate, and will subsequently be required to undertake three-yearly safety audits with a government-appointed organisation.
Ms Wilkinson said the three-year period reflected the fact there were 1500 companies to be registered and audited.
"It's important that in setting up this safety scheme we do it once and do it right."
Under the new regulations, companies could be prosecuted for any breaches under the Act - the maximum penalty a $250,000 fine.
Ms Wilkinson said the new regulations would "fill safety gaps" and help keep New Zealanders and tourists safe while ensuring operators could "remain viable and innovative".
Mr Jordan said he did not understand quite why it would take so long.
"We're not talking about trying to fit into a regulatory system in China here. This is New Zealand. I just cannot believe it. One could say, it sounds like they don't really want to do it."
He said regulations were for the minority who flaunted the rules of good, safe, practice and this now meant those people could continuing operating the same way for another four years.
Queenstown tourism authorities and operators said they were supportive of the new regulations, which they said would rein in any "cowboys".
Destination Queenstown chairman Mark Quickfall said Queenstown adventure tourism operators owed it to themselves and other companies to not just meet new safety regulations, but to exceed them and they were "very keen" to do so.
Many Queenstown operators were in good shape in terms of their approach to safety, "but in saying that, we can never be complacent", Mr Quickfall said.
There was always risk, or perceived risk with those sorts of activities, which operators had to minimise as much as possible.
"When things go wrong, that reflects on our town, on other operators and on New Zealand's reputation," he said.
The regulation would separate the serious operators from the "cowboys", Vertigo Bikes owner Tim Ceci said "We were self-auditing before the regulations and what you will find across Queenstown is most companies are above the standard anyway."
However, no matter how regulated an industry was, there would always be accidents, he said, particularly in an industry centred on the premise of an adventure.
Bungy New Zealand chief executive Michelle Trapski said the results of the review did not appear to be "reinventing the wheel", but they were a positive step and a natural progression.
Ngai Tahu Tourism southern region general manager David Kennedy said the company was "very supportive" of any regulation or initiative that increased safety.
Brad McLeod, director of The River Boarding Company, the company that formerly traded as Mad Dog River Boarding, with which Ms Jordan was river-boarding when she died, said he also supported the new regulations.
"We have no issue with it at all. It sounds like a very good idea to me. Realistically, though, it's going to mean very little change to how things are currently done, as we have had a three-yearly audit now for a number of years."
SAFER ADVENTURES
• Requirements for safety audit certificate.
• Regulations begin from October 1 next year. Three years for operators to register.
• Estimated about 1500 adventure tourism operators audited every three years.
• Safety certificate cost about about $1300 to $2500.
• Aviation and commercial jet-boating and rafting excluded because already governed by Civil Aviation Authority and Maritime New Zealand.
• "Risk profile" for activities. Already identified: land-based fishing low, mountain biking medium, river-boarding and canyoning high.
• Regulations won't apply to organisations not charging fees, like schools and voluntary clubs.
• Scheme run by organisation appointed by the Labour Department.
• Tourism Industry Association New Zealand and Outdoors New Zealand lead the work,co-ordinating with other sector and government bodies.
• Labour Department budget of about $1.2 million over five years.
