|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Legislation that will allow skilled plumbers and drainlayers to sign off their own work has passed its first reading in Parliament, alongside a second Bill aimed at lifting standards and accountability across the building sector.
Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk said the changes are designed to cut red tape, ease pressure on building consent authorities and speed up straightforward plumbing and drainage jobs.
“The Government is cutting red tape in the building consent system to make it easier and more affordable to deliver the new homes and infrastructure we need to raise living standards and grow the economy,” Penk said.
“The system has long been slow and inefficient, with even straightforward plumbing and drainlaying jobs delayed by lengthy inspection wait times, leading to frustrated tradies and homeowners who end up bearing the cost of lost time.”
The Self Certification by Plumbers and Drainlayers Bill, which passed its first reading today, will enable approved plumbers and drainlayers with strong compliance records to certify their own work. Penk said this would speed up routine residential work and allow councils to focus on more complex and higher-risk projects.
“Around 16,000 new standalone houses were consented in 2024, and most of these would likely have included plumbing and drainlaying work eligible for self-certification under the new regime,” he said.
The scheme will be voluntary, limited to straightforward work, and available only to practitioners who meet defined competency standards. More complex or high-risk projects will continue to require full oversight from building consent authorities.
A second piece of legislation, the Building and Construction Strengthening Occupational Licensing Regimes Amendment Bill, also passed its first reading today.
Penk said the Bill is intended to reinforce accountability as more responsibility shifts from councils to building professionals.
“New Zealand has a skilled building industry, but high-profile cases of poor workmanship can unfairly tarnish the sector’s reputation. It’s important to address this as more responsibility shifts from BCAs to building professionals.”
The Bill will strengthen disciplinary processes by giving the Licensed Building Practitioners Registrar additional tools and by publishing details of practitioners who have been suspended. It will also improve complaints processes for licensed electrical workers, plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers, and introduce Codes of Ethics.
“With these two Bills, we are backing tradies who take pride in their work, reducing unnecessary delays, easing pressure on the consent system, and giving Kiwis confidence that the people working on their homes are supported by clear checks and balances,” Penk said.
