10 September 2004

Urgent action to address building projects in limbo

This week’s decision by the Building Industry Association (BIA) to de-register a major building certifier for incompetence and negligence leaves 905 projects in Auckland city in limbo.

Auckland City’s deputy mayor David Hay says the decision means Auckland City can’t rely on any of Approved Building Certifiers Ltd’s (ABC) inspection work to date.

“The only people who can solve this issue for the hundreds of projects affected in the city is the government through the BIA,” says Mr Hay.

The matter was discussed as an extraordinary addition to last night’s Auckland City Council meeting. A bi-partisan working party has been formed to urgently address the issues this raises.

Mr Hay, who will chair the working party, says the council’s first priority is to request that the BIA, which has ultimate responsibility for building standards, find a practical solution for those projects that local authorities can’t progress any further.

The BIA has advised it is meeting with a representative from ABC on Monday to recover and collate all files. It has estimated it will take a week for all files to be transferred to councils.

“Before we have the files Auckland City is unlikely to be able to assist any of ABC’s customers,” says Mr Hay. “The council has to proceed with integrity and professionalism and we will be advising ABC’s customers to stop work in the meantime, as proceeding could make the situation worse,” says Mr Hay.

Once Auckland City receives the files it will write to ABC customers and inform them of the process, which will involve a review and site inspection of all 905 properties.

Auckland City’s working party is made up of the deputy mayor David Hay, Councillor Bruce Hucker and Councillor Douglas Armstrong.

The chief executive has been authorised to write to the BIA once the working party has determined all of the issues and resolves how best to go forward.

ENDS

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