Summarised by Centrist
The government is planning to streamline building consents, allowing qualified tradespeople like builders, plumbers, and drainlayers to self-certify their work on low-risk projects.
Building Minister Chris Penk explained “We’re giving more trust to those with a strong track record, while ensuring accountability.”
This system aims to reduce approval time and costs for projects approved, allowing trusted properly insured professionals to skip the need for multiple council inspections.
The move is particularly focused on large-scale builders, such as group homebuilders, who can benefit from an accelerated process for near-identical builds.
Currently, even a simple, single-story home can face up to 10 inspections, which Penk says is excessive. He noted that existing assurances, like licensing and record-keeping, are already in place and will be backed by stricter penalties for shoddy work. “This brings them in line with electricians and gasfitters, who can already self-certify,” he added.
President of the Home Owners and Buyer’s Association John Gray, voiced concerns over the scheme, and said that “trusted professional accreditation must be robust.” He noted that builders must be held accountable for poor work, calling for “appropriately weighted civil or criminal sanctions” for those who fail to meet standards.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said there was a need to “crack down on cowboy operators” and remove unnecessary red tape. “We’ve talked about a housing crisis for some time… We need more affordable homes,” he said.
