Our Strategies

Strategy: Better professional behaviours, skills and standards accross the sector

What we will do

We will promote the professional skills, standards and behaviours that are needed for a quality building and housing sector. This will contribute to improved design, construction and inspection of buildings and provide better housing that meets New Zealanders' needs in the New Zealand environment.

Why we will do it

Intermediate Outcomes

- Homes and buildings that meet the changing needs of New Zealanders.
- A vibrant building, construction and housing sector with skilled building and housing professionals.

The building and housing sector needs the capacity and capability to meet the requirements of the market. Regulators need the capacity and capability to develop and apply the building and housing regulatory regime.

Skilled and capable people and organisations are necessary to achieve the Government's outcomes for the sector. We administer regulations that set standards for the skills and capabilities of building and housing professions, and those who administer the regulatory framework at the local level. These regulations complement other elements of the regulatory framework to ensure buildings are safe and healthy, disputes are handled appropriately, and public confidence in the sector is maintained and enhanced.

To be effective, the building control regime requires:

• us to be effective at the central level
• relevant authorities to be effective at the local level
• the building and housing sector to be effective at applying the regime.

A major area of focus for us is implementing the licensed building practitioner provisions of the Building Act 2004. The licensed building practitioners' scheme will lift the capability and accountability of building practitioners. Starting voluntarily in 2007 the scheme will apply to significant building projects only. For such projects, design and construction work will need to be certified by an appropriately licensed building practitioner from November 2009; from November 2011 work related to the structural integrity and external envelope of a building will be restricted, and will have to be supervised or carried out by practitioners with the appropriate trade or specialist licence. Most of the work being done by DIYers on their homes will be able to continue. The only DIY work that will need to be supervised and certified by a licensed building practitioner will be work that substantially impacts on the strength and integrity of the home or building. Most of the work being done by DIYers on their homes will still be able to be done exactly as it is today. The only DIY work that will need to be supervised and certified by a licensed building practitioner will be work that substantially impacts on the strength and integrity of the home or building.

We will also undertake activities designed to improve the capability of territorial authorities in administering the building regulatory system.

How we will do it

We will:

• work with professions and trades across the building and housing sector to set national standards for demonstrating competence and skill
• work with qualification providers and education providers to ensure there are appropriate qualifications and courses for building sector professionals, tradespeople and building officials
• develop, in consultation with the building and housing sector, resources that guide and advise them on their rights and obligations.

What we will deliver

Over the next 3 years we will:

• monitor and report on performance, skills and competencies across the building and housing sector
• develop, implement and maintain registration and licensing regimes for building practitioners. In 2006/07 we will develop:
  • rules and regulations for licence classes, complaints, fees and levies, as applicable
  • processes for assessments, complaints, appeals, fees and levies effective from 1 November 2007
  • information technology and business support systems.
• develop, implement and maintain registration and licensing regimes for electrical workers. We will effect the transfer of the electrical workers registration system from the Ministry of Economic Development from 1 September 2006.
• upskill building officials. In 2006/07 we will:
  • help to establish a national qualification for building officials
  • establish the accreditation and registration systems for building consent authorities
  • provide guidance and information to building practitioners and regulators
  • provide assurance of building consent authorities’ performance.
• upskill property owners and managers. In 2006/07 we will:
  • implement the Community Education and Liaison Strategy to promote an informed and confident rental market by educating and working with market participants. This will include implementing strategies to improve the quality of business and property management practices of landlords.
  • provide information and advice to the housing industry aimed at raising the standards of property and property management.
• investigate and advise on barriers to institutional investment in rental housing.
• investigate mandatory home warranty insurance for new domestic dwellings and for significant repairs and renovations.

How our outputs link to the strategy

Output Expense	Output
Building Act 2004 Implementation	Sector Advice and GuidanceBuilding Officials' Education
Building Regulation and Control	Building Regulation Advice and GuidanceResolve Complaints and DisputesMonitor Building Consent Authorities
Occupational Licensing	Develop and Implement Building Practitioner Licensing SchemeLicensing of Electrical Workers (from September 2006)
Purchase and Monitoring Advice - Housing New Zealand Corporation	Monitoring and Purchase Advice on Housing New Zealand Corporation
Residential Tenancy Services	Residential Tenancy Advice and GuidanceCompliance
Sector and Regulatory Policy	Sector and Regulatory Policy AdviceSector, Industry and Market MonitoringStatutory Board Responsibilities