Government to allow more overseas materials

Thousands of building products are to be more readily available to New Zealand trades as the Government releases its building product specifications document.

From plasterboard and cladding to windows and external doors, building companies will be better able to buy overseas building materials in a move Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says will promote a “construction boom” and end “costly monopolies”.

Penk cites plasterboard as an example. He says Kiwis pay around 38% more than Australians, 47% more than the UK, and 67% more than the United States for the same products.

“And 97% of the plasterboard that we must currently use is made by one established company,” Penk says, referring to Flecher Building’s Gib.

“You may recall that in 2022, when that company ran into difficulty, prices for plasterboard soared, and some builders were reported to pay six times the normal amount so they could finish the job.”

He says thousands of well-made, high-performing products have been tested against rigorous international standards. Yet these materials have faced barriers to uptake in New Zealand, because they have not been specifically tested against our own standards.

“It is 50% more expensive to build a standalone home in New Zealand than in Australia. That is frankly outrageous.

“These changes have the potential to reduce total building costs by thousands of dollars when building a home.”

Plumbing products certified in Australia will be automatically allowed here under a parallel scheme, set to take effect later this year.