MBIE Seeks Feedback To Strengthen Building Occupational Regulation Regimes

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is commencing a public consultation seeking feedback on the Licensed Building Practitioner; Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers; Electrical Workers and Registered Architects occupational regulation regimes.

“Occupational regulation plays a critical role in our building system, protecting New Zealanders from harm by ensuring services are performed with reasonable and consistent care and skill,” says Amy Moorhead, Manager Building Policy.

This consultation proposes further improvements to the Licensed Building Practitioner regime, seeks feedback on potential codes of ethics for the Electrical Workers and Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers regimes and seeks input into a review of the Registered Architects Act.

“MBIE is seeking feedback from all New Zealanders who work in or use building and construction services” says Ms Moorhead.

“People who are licensed or registered members of these regimes benefit from the increased professionalism and skillset of all members, as well as improved public confidence in the work that they do. We want to hear from people who work in the building and construction sector to understand what you need to feel safe and supported in your career.

“We also want to understand the perspective of people who use the services provided by those working in the sector – New Zealanders who employ or contract people for their skills and knowledge when building, designing and maintaining homes and buildings.

“Occupational regulation exists to build your trust in the industry and keep you safe when using building and construction services, as well as help ensure that building work is done right the first time and get fairer outcomes if things go wrong.

“Your feedback will help shape the changes needed to ensure occupational regulation in the building and construction sector is fit for purpose and delivers for all New Zealanders.”

A discussion document has been published to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website. You can address any sections in the consultation, you do not have to complete all the sections. Submissions are due by 5pm on Thursday 6 April 2023.

A link to the consultation webpage can be found online here - MBIE seeks feedback to strengthen building occupational regulation regimes | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

There are currently six occupations with regulatory regimes in the building and construction sector:

• Chartered professional engineers
• Engineering associates
• Licensed Building Practitioners
• Plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers
• Electrical workers
• Registered architects

This consultation is focussing on the following four regimes:

• Licensed Building Practitioners

The proposals in the 2023 consultation respond to issues identified by the sector in a consultation we ran in 2021. They focus on improvements to supervision and licence classes in the regime, with the aim to ensure that Licensed Building Practitioners work within their competence, and that consumers understand who is competent to do certain work.

• Electrical Workers regime and Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers

This consultation seeks early feedback on the scope of potential codes of ethics for the Electrical Workers regime and Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers regime. The expectations and key principles proposed have been based on the recently introduced code of ethics for Licensed Building Practitioners.

• Registered Architects

This consultation focuses on whether current regulatory settings ensure effective and efficient regulation of architects. MBIE aims to determine if the Registered Architects Act 2005 remains fit for purpose and whether the government should have a continued role in regulating architects. This is the first time the Architects Act has been reviewed since it was introduced in 2006.

MBIE’s occupational regulation reforms have been progressing over several years, responding to evolving practices in the sector, pressures on the workforce and recommendations from the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission. The following steps are underway to address the most significant shortcomings we have identified:

• major reforms to the regulation of professional engineers and engineering associates
• improve the complaints and administrative processes for Licensed Building Practitioners
• minor changes for the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers regime as further review continues
• responding to the Electrical Workers Registration Board statutory review

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