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The bill that will provide clear legislative powers for investigating building failures following events like an earthquake or a major storm has passed its third and final reading in Parliament.
The Building Amendment Bill will allow the quick and effective management of affected buildings during and after an emergency. It gives the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) clearer legislative powers to investigate significant building failures, which will help to avoid similar occurrences in the future.
Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa explained New Zealand currently has no legislative mandate for managing buildings after an emergency event, or for managing the transition between the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act and the Building Act. Until now, MBIE investigators have been required to investigate building failures on an ad-hoc basis subject to the cooperation of building owners, resulting in a heavy reliance on incomplete information.
When the law comes into effect councils will be able to demolish or carry out work to any buildings that pose an immediate risk to life, or risk damage or disruption to neighbouring buildings or public thoroughfares; require building owners to provide information, such as detailed engineering assessments, to help determine the risks posed by their buildings; and require damaged buildings to be repaired or demolished on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate.
“The bill also provides councils with new powers for assessing and evacuating buildings in the event of an emergency,” Salesa added. “This includes the power to restrict entry to damaged buildings.”
