Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi has asked the New Zealand Transport Agency for an urgent report on faulty Takata airbags in New Zealand.
"My primary concern is to ensure that New Zealanders are kept safe and this has been a known issue for many years," he said in a statement.
"This Government will act if there's a need to do so, because safety isn't something we think should ever be compromised."
It comes after the Australian government announced one of its largest recalls ever yesterday - calling for more than two million vehicles to be recalled by manufacturers and have the defective Japanese-made airbags replaced.
A chemical inside the bag's inflators can deteriorate, turning the metal cannister inside into potentially deadly shrapnel when the bag deploys.
NZTA states the recall was announced in 2013 on its website, and that its been working with the Motor Industry Association to manage a voluntary recall affecting many popular car makes.
It said there's no evidence of the airbags malfunctioning in New Zealand and its advice is affected cars are safe to drive.
After the recall was announced, some Japanese car manufacturers offered to disconnect the faulty airbags in cars.
NZTA's urging drivers with affected imports to get their airbags checked and reconnected if necessary, saying the fault under voluntary recall is still safer than not having a working airbag.
Mr Faafoi has asked for the briefing from NZTA to include the number of New Zealand vehicles affected, progress on the voluntary recall, advice on whether other measures are needed, and clarity on how the recall and the safety issues are being monitored.
He said after he receives the report next week, he will be able to decide whether other measures are necessary.
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