12. Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) Link to this
to the Minister of Commerce
Does she stand by her reply to question for written answer 9163 (2006) about Standards New Zealand, and in particular her statement: “The Committee will make every attempt to achieve full consensus. In rare circumstances, however, a standard may be published without full consensus provided 80% of the committee members vote in favour of publication.”?
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
Does the Minister consider it acceptable for the Standards Committee considering a lowering of timber treatment standards to, in May, have two members vote against the change; then, in June, have those two members sacked off the committee, following industry lobbying; only to have, in August, the vote re-put and passed; and why would homeowners and builders have any confidence in standards adopted by that sort of process?
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I seek leave of the House to table the letter with regard to representations on the New Zealand standard 3640 committee, in which Mr Neil Mora from AgriQuality and Mr Paul Oliver, a timber treatment specialist, were sacked from the committee after voting against the change.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
Has the Minister seen the statement made by the Department of Building and Housing in which, after the standard was adopted, it stated that it was not able to confirm that there is compliance with the building code; and if the Department of Building and Housing has no confidence in Standards New Zealand, why should anybody else?
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL Link to this
I am aware of that particular statement. I also have a statement made by Standards New Zealand explaining its position on the matter. If the member has any questions about citing the standard in the code, they should be directed to the appropriate Minister.
Shane JonesHon LIANNE DALZIEL Link to this
Yes, I do have confidence in the process, and I believe that the consensus-based approach is one that works best. As the Minister for Building Issues said on Monday in the New Zealand Herald, a hands-off approach is not the answer to lifting standards; the approach created the problems in the first place. The deregulation of the sector in the 1990s meant there were almost no rules; and we know which Government was in place when that happened.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
Has she seen the statement made by the New Zealand Certified Builders Association saying it is “infuriated” that two Government agencies are now telling builders different rules on how houses are to be constructed; and can she today clarify the matter and tell us whether builders should follow the instructions of Standards New Zealand, or the instructions of the Department of Building and Housing?
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL Link to this
I am aware, because I have read the newspaper reports of those claiming confusion about the New Zealand building industry. I understand that Standards New Zealand and the Department of Building and Housing are working together to quickly provide clear guidance to the industry.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
Does the Minister believe that it is appropriate that the very same industry people who made the change a decade ago—to do away with timber treatment for framing—are now the same ones who have recommended, and changed the standard in 2003, to water down those standards; and does she think this will satisfy New Zealanders living in rotting, leaking homes that the lessons have been learnt?
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL Link to this
The statement made by Standards New Zealand, which perhaps the member has not seen, makes it very clear that there is support for the greater use of boron treatment, which is the issue at stake here; and that concern has been expressed about practical issues relating to the use of treated timber in houses, such as compatibility of treated timber with wallboard adhesives and building underlay. These issues are related not just to boron treatment but to a wide range of timber treatments, and they are not within the scope of the timber treatment standard. The member does not understand the issues he raises.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
How can the Minister describe the process as one of obtaining a consensus, when the members who voted against the watering down of the timber treatment standard were dumped off the committee, so a consensus could be obtained?
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I seek the leave of the House to table from the Department of Building and Housing its statement that it does not accept the change from New Zealand Standards regarding the watering down of timber treatment standards.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I seek leave to table the statement made by the Certified Builders Association of New Zealand saying it is infuriated that we have a Government where two different agencies are telling builders different things about how they should build homes safely.
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL Link to this
I seek leave to table the Standards New Zealand statement, which states that the timber treatment standard is technically sound, and looks to finding some solutions to the matters that have been raised.