ACT welcomes unblocking of building product pipeline

ACT is celebrating the liberation of New Zealand’s building materials market, as more than 90,000 plumbing products are now approved for use under the new overseas recognition framework.

“This is the result of an ACT idea that became law – a practical reform that cuts red tape and helps builders, tradies, and homeowners,” says ACT Building and Construction spokesperson Cameron Luxton, who is also a Licensed Building Practitioner.

“For too long, outdated local rules have stopped Kiwi builders from using high-quality, affordable, and innovative products that are already trusted overseas. That has driven up prices and limited choice. Now, thanks to this change, thousands of new materials can flow into New Zealand homes and worksites.

“Recognising the work done by trusted overseas certifiers such as WaterMark, used widely across Australia, is a simple, common-sense reform that will improve competition, reduce costs, and make it easier to build.

“Australian consumers don’t want leaky taps or drains that don’t work properly either. If certain products work across the ditch and New Zealand plumbers want to use them, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be able to.

“We’ve seen massive price hikes for essential materials in the past, and the previous Government’s response was to set up a ‘plasterboard taskforce’. It was like a bad joke. The real issue was that we’d banned popular plasterboard equivalents and other building materials used overseas.

“This is just the start, with even more overseas building products soon to be recognised. ACT will keep driving for a building system that rewards innovation and efficiency, not bureaucracy.”