02 Jul 2026
3 months ago
987 views
The Building Amendment Bill introduces the most significant building system reforms in 20 years to make construction easier, faster, and more affordable while enhancing homeowner protections through a fairer liability system and mandatory safeguards like professional indemnity insurance and home warranties. It aims to modernize the sector by improving consistency among Building Consent Authorities, reducing processing times, enabling fast-track consents for sustainable buildings, and expanding exemptions for offsite-constructed dwellings. These reforms, developed with extensive sector engagement, seek to unlock innovation, increase accountability, and support New Zealand’s housing and construction needs sustainably and efficiently.
24 Nov 2025
11 months ago
1094 views
The Government is reforming the building consent system by replacing joint and several liability with proportionate liability, ensuring each party is only responsible for their own work to speed up consents and protect ratepayers. New safeguards include mandatory professional indemnity insurance for designers, compulsory home warranties for most new residential builds and significant renovations, and strengthened disciplinary penalties for Licensed Building Practitioners. These measures aim to enhance accountability, protect building owners, and make the building process faster, easier, and more affordable, with legislative changes expected by 2026.
20 Nov 2025
11 months ago
1208 views
The Government is reforming building research funding by repealing the outdated Building Research Levy Act 1969 and consolidating research funding into the existing building levy under the Building Act 2024 to improve transparency, efficiency, and innovation. The new system will centrally manage funds with sector input, ring-fence research funding for long-term projects, and make funding contestable to broaden access for universities and industry organizations, while reducing costs for consent applicants. These changes aim to enhance accountability, support a more resilient building sector, and contribute to making building easier, more affordable, and supportive of economic growth in New Zealand.