Phil Twyford
Housing Spokesperson

23 September

Rules go from the ridiculous to the absurd

The establishment of a special unit by Auckland Council to handle complaints and investigate rogue builders confirms the Government’s proposal to allow builders to sign off their own work is sheer lunacy, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford.

The revelation that the investigations unit was set up follows reported comments from the council’s manager of Building Control Ian McCormick, about an epidemic of shoddy building practices in Auckland.

“When the Council is failing 25 to 40 per cent of building consents because of issues around quality it is just crazy that the Government is allowing builders to sign off their own work.

“This is just another example of National’s mindless ideological love of deregulation. Back in the 1990s they cursed thousands of good hardworking Kiwi homeowners with the leaky homes catastrophe.

“Paula Bennett says the country has moved on from the leaky homes catastrophe but it’s clear she hasn’t learned from previous mistakes.

“Ms Bennett’s rules reduction taskforce is nothing more than a political stunt. Back in May she was justifying the taskforce by pointing out how ridiculous red tape that banned lolly scrambles and required people to wear a harness when using a step ladder was.

“Four months later she is back saying the taskforce found out those supposed ‘loopy rules’ were just misconceptions that had become myths.

“Now that really is ridiculous,” says Phil Twyford.

ENDS

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