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Keeping the builder honest: an analysis of recent building code initiatives in New Zealand

The passing of the Building Amendment Act 2012 into law in March 2012 completes the long-term proposal by the Government to license New Zealand (NZ) building practitioners. The Licensed Building Practitioners Scheme (LBPS) is a Government response to a critical review of the NZ building industry by the 2002 Report of the Overview Group on Weathertightness of Buildings. Its implementation restricts certain aspects of the design and construction of residential buildings to licensed personnel. This paper will examine the role the LBPS will play within the building industry. Submissions on the merits of the scheme are examined, evaluated and compared to an industry survey completed six months after the scheme's introduction in March 2012. It supports the view that the transfer of responsibility to the private sector, of which the LBPS is a part, runs the risk of failure unless legislative and educational systems supporting the intended role have had time to coalesce and prove their effectiveness.