Hon Chris Penk
Minister for Building and Construction

Thousands more plumbing and drainage products already used widely in Australia can now be accessed easily by Kiwi tradies and do-it-yourself homeowners.

“The Government is focused on fixing the basics and building a better future for New Zealand, and that means making it easier and more affordable to deliver the homes and public buildings that will ease house prices and lift living standards,” Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.

“It’s great to see the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) recognise a second tranche of overseas building products certified under the reputable Australian WaterMark scheme, issuing 54 recognition notices that cover around 38,274 products.

“A first round in October made it easier to bring more than 90,000 WaterMark-approved products onto the market, including tapware, water service products, and sanitary and stormwater drainage products.

“While these materials are already tried and tested in Australia and familiar to many tradies in New Zealand, Kiwi builders and designers previously had to individually demonstrate that each product met Building Code requirements when applying for consent to use it.

“By amending the Building Act through the Overseas Building Products Amendment Bill, MBIE can now recognise building products already certified under overseas schemes in comparable countries in the tens of thousands, rather than one at a time.

“The granting of these recognition notices means Building Consent Authorities must accept the products as compliant, reducing unnecessary red tape, costs, and delays while allowing a more diverse range of materials to be used.

“Supply chain shocks and shortages choke building productivity. Better access and greater choice provide industry with more resilience and increases market competition to put downwards pressure on prices for tradies and homeowners.

“As MBIE continues to review overseas building products under the new law, tradies and homeowners can expect even better access to essential materials, including plasterboard, cladding, windows, and doors.”

Notes:

• “Recognition notice” is the official term for approval of an overseas building product or standard by MBIE.
• Notices are not a blanket approval for all WaterMark certificates. Only products that have a valid, uptodate certificate listed on a current notice can be used as meeting the required standards.
• Recognition notices are now publicly available at www.building.govt.nz, along with a diagram showing how these overseas standards fit within New Zealand’s building regulatory framework.

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