A mandatory target to speed up building inspection wait times comes into force today, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced.

Shovels will be in the ground faster for critical infrastructure projects following the passing of the Public Works Act Amendment Bill.

The Government is announcing the biggest change to the building consent system since the Building Act came into force in 2004, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.

The Government will amend the Building Code to better protect New Zealanders, following strong calls for change as part of a nationwide fire safety review.

Thanks to the Red Tape Tipline homeowners building garden sheds, sleepouts, or garages will face less red tape and fewer delays by the end of this year.

From tomorrow, thousands of additional building products including plasterboard, cladding systems, external doors, and windows will all be easier to use in construction sites across New Zealand.

The Government is providing more certainty for the building sector by pausing any new major changes to the Building Code system.

Overly rigid insulation rules are being removed to ease costs for designers, builders and homeowners, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced.

Common sense changes in the energy and building consent systems will drive greater residential solar uptake in New Zealand, Energy Minister Simon Watts and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. 

Processing delays for building consents and code compliance certificates have dropped since the Government began publicly releasing council performance data.

New Zealanders are a step closer to being able to build a granny flat of up to 70 square metres in their backyard following the successful first reading of the Building and Construction (Small Standalone Dwellings) Bill in Parliament.

The Government has agreed on a new scheme allowing trusted builders to sign off their own work and will set a mandatory target to tackle building inspection wait times.

Significant action by the Government this week will make building in New Zealand easier by unclogging the consenting system, reducing construction costs, and giving tradies the support they need to get on with the job.

The Coalition Government will go even further than it earlier proposed to make it easier to build granny flats by increasing the maximum size allowed to be built without consents.

Just-passed legislation is expected to put up to 250,000 more building products on shelves this year alone - giving Kiwis building and renovating their homes more choice to fit their budgets.

The Government is backing builders by making changes so Kiwis will more easily be able to identify high-quality, trusted professionals to carry out work on their homes.

The final stage of reforms to the Public Works Act will introduce bigger and broader land payments, improved landowner engagement and new measures to support disaster recovery.

New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.

The Public Works Act will undergo its most significant reform in nearly 50-years to help unleash an infrastructure boom, Land Information Minister Chris Penk has announced.

New state-of-the-art soldiers’ flats have officially opened for junior ranks at Papakura Military Camp, Associate Defence Minister Chris Penk has announced.