Following a review of the Building Act, Minister for Building and Construction Maurice Williamson today released a discussion document outlining proposals for its amendment.

“Without compromising quality and safety, these are major proposals that will move us to the next generation of building control,” Mr Williamson said.

The discussion document and consultation are part of the Better Building Blueprint, a series of measures that will make it easier and cheaper for New Zealanders to build good quality homes and buildings.

The Minister says the proposals are open to debate and change. The Government wants input from both the sector and the general public.

“The public must be able to have confidence in the system which is why I want their input into any proposed change.

“While the Building Act Review has found that the system is not broken, and quality is improving, it is still more costly than necessary and less efficient than it could be.

“I’m convinced there is room for improvement and consistency across the country. This will reduce costs and improve efficiency for both the consumer and the builder. I have an open mind on the best way to achieve this,” Mr Williamson said.

“We want to make sure we get the right balance between risk, regulation and skills and this consultation will help us do that.

The discussion document is available from www.dbh.govt.nz/consulting-on-building-act and people can comment online or in writing before 23 April 2010. The key proposals for reform are set out below.

ⓒ 뉴질랜드 코리아포스트(http://www.koreapost.co.nz), 무단전재 및 재배포 금지