There were 2,418 new homes consented in April 2025, a 17% decrease compared with April 2024, according to figures recently released by Statistics New Zealand. “The drop in the number of new homes consented in April 2025 may have been impacted by the timing of Easter weekend and Anzac Day, with people potentially taking time […]
The Government has allocated $100 million to be lent to developers for housing infrastructure and aims to streamline the Resource Management Act, which currently restricts the availability of land for development. Housing and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop announced the suite of changes aimed at accelerating outer-city housing development. “The government is committed to letting our […]
Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering at the University of Canterbury, Dr Brian Guo lists three adjectives that will shape the future of engineering: digital, sustainable, and resilient. “It’s a pretty awesome time to be in the field!” he exclaims. “In a nutshell, the future of engineering is all about […]
Government Introduces Self-Certification Scheme for Trusted Builders The Government has gone ahead with their new scheme to allow trusted builders to sign off on their own work. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced that, in turn, the government would also set a mandatory target to tackle building inspection wait times. Inspection targets will come […]
Government Takes Action to Protect Power Lines The government has now agreed to amendments to the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003, which will lower the risk of power lines from trees that are close to but aren’t immediately beside the line. Energy Minister Hon Simon Watts says improving the current system to better protect […]
New home consents down overall, but South Island bucks the trend There were 34,062 new homes consented in Aotearoa New Zealand in the year ended March 2025, down 3.3% compared with the year ended March 2024, according to new figures released by Stats NZ. In the year ended March 2025, the North Island recorded 23,570 […]
A tragic reminder of rooftop dangers WorkSafe is urging businesses whose employees work at height to take the risks seriously after a tragic workplace accident left a Wellington man permanently injured. The incident, which happened in April 2023, has prompted renewed scrutiny over the safety practices of companies working on rooftops and in other elevated […]
Carbon farms are permanently locking up New Zealand landscapes and could land us with more carbon costs, says the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. With the aim of sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide through tree growth, pine carbon farms are a common approach to carbon farming. Typically consisting of fast-growing radiata pine, carbon farms are a […]
Giving industries more control The Government’s announcement that it will adopt a new model for work-based learning has received a mixed reception from educators and industry leaders. The move comes after the government announced it’d disestablish Te Pūkenga. From 1 January 2026, Industry Skills Boards will oversee training and temporarily enrol apprentices as Te Pūkenga […]
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