Government deregulation

Editor,

Referring to the letter ‘Answers please’ by Alan Bloomfield (February 21), councillors Ken Douglas and Euon Murrell were correct in their reply.

The Government deregulation of the building industry and the failure of the Building Industry Authority (BIA) was the catalyst of the leaking buildings.

The government axing of the Ministry of Works, Railways, Maori and Island Affairs apprenticeship schemes, leaving only private enterprise to train up apprentices, contributed to the lack of skilled tradesmen.

The councillors failed to mention the role the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ), who are still trading as a government crown entity. The majority of the new cladding systems used on the troublesome homes were tested and approved by BRANZ.

This appraisal system was mooted by the BIA who encouraged the councils throughout New Zealand to allow their use as an ‘alternative solution’. Somehow BRANZ have never been made accountable and have managed to distance themselves from any weather-tightness claims.

I do not agree with the councillors that the new legislation being brought in by the Department of Building and Housing on licensed building practitioners will be advantageous to the homeowner.

The system will lessen the amount of independent inspections carried out by the councils and quote ‘‘give more accountability’’ to the licensed building practitioner.

Unfortunately, as the licensed