5. JONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth) Link to this
to the Minister for Building and Construction
What progress has been made on cutting red tape in the building sector?
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON (Minister for Building and Construction) Link to this
More good news! In fact, it is yet another stitch in the rich tapestry of success that this Government is having in building a brighter future. Earlier this month I announced the first of two MultiProof approvals, which are consents that volume builders can apply for. Once they have that consent, they can build their building as many times as they wish. I want the House to know how good it was to issue the first of those approvals, in Palmerston North. The company reported that it saved 45 percent of the cost of getting the consent for the building, and it got the consent in 3 days rather than the statutory 20 days that it normally takes.
What other measures is the Government planning to streamline consenting and to reduce costs in the building sector?
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON Link to this
My personal modesty would stop me from going through the entire list of the gains, but several measures are under way to get cheaper buildings in New Zealand while maintaining quality. The main one is the review of the Building Act, which is moving towards simpler, clearer, and more flexible building standards.