Statement of Intent 09/12

Chief Executive's overview

These are challenging times for the building and housing sector and for the Department, requiring new and smarter ways of working and delivering value for money.

Our primary outcome remains firmly in our sights - a building and housing market that delivers good quality homes and buildings for New Zealanders, and contributes to strong communities and a prosperous economy.

Since the Department was set up in November 2004, a lot of hard work has gone into setting up a robust and credible organisation. We have the people and systems in place to deliver in a changing environment.

This Statement of Intent sets out how we will work towards our primary outcome in four areas:

An efficient and effective regulatory framework

We are reviewing the Building Act 2004 to look at how it can be simplified and work better. We are also looking at streamlining and simplifying licensing and consenting.

A review of how weathertightness problems are resolved, with a greater emphasis on repairing homes, is under way.

A housing and building market that provides an accessible range of houses and buildings

A housing market that operates well opens the way for new approaches to building and housing supply and affordability. We aim to lead the research agenda for building science and design, and to build on our highly successful Starter Home Design Competition to encourage innovative and affordable design.

A well-performing sector with the capability and capacity to do a good job

Lifting skills and capability will go a long way to improving productivity and performance across the sector, and position it to take advantage of the economic recovery.

Together with the sector, we will develop a strategy to maintain and improve skill levels, including increasing the number of licensed building practitioners to promote a more competent workforce.

Well-informed participants in the building and housing market

If people have good and timely information, they are able to make better-informed decisions and conduct their business more effectively, resulting in fewer disputes. We will continue to provide advice and guidance; to provide effective dispute resolution services; and to manage bond lodgements, refunds and investments.

A building and housing market that operates well is in everybody's interests. The sector is critical to economic recovery and growth, and we are working hard to ensure we deliver value to the Government and to the sector.

Katrina Bach
Chief Executive