Building A Better New Zealand

The building and construction sector matters for New Zealand. Not only does it have a significant influence on the economy, but it’s responsible for the modern, lived environment that surrounds us. Our homes, our schools and our hospitals.

A sector under pressure
Yet New Zealand’s housing and construction system is under pressure and unable to deliver what the country requires. Housing remains a critical issue for New Zealand, and COVID further exposed system failures and weakened its ability to build the affordable, quality homes New Zealanders need. Our economy faces more challenges from high inflation, the cost of living, and climate resilience pressures. The response at this election is critical for New Zealand.

The matters for all New Zealanders
This creates a hugely challenging backdrop for New Zealanders wanting to build a home. It also places more strain on business owners and the building community. Given the building and construction sector is one of the top contributors to the country’s GDP, improving the productivity and efficiency of the building system, will help lift New Zealand’s economic performance at a time when it matters most for our country’s future prosperity.

While these are urgent issues, we understand many of the solutions will take time. We must begin the work now, and there are some quick wins we can achieve, but resolving the systemic issues created over the last few decades will need focused longer term thinking and commitment. It will also require bold action and innovative approaches; we can’t keep doing more of the same and tinkering around the edges on the broken parts of the system.

Critical areas of focus
Master Builders has identified three critical areas where government and the sector can work better together to lift the sector’s productivity and performance:

  • Smoothing the boom-bust cycle to ensure a sustainable sector and workforce so we can deliver the affordable housing and critical infrastructure the country needs
  • Productivity is an enduring challenge for New Zealand and our sector. Consenting and procurement are two areas which are currently getting in the way.
  • Climate action is non-negotiable, we are all experiencing the impacts. The sector and government must focus on where we build, how we build and how we can recycle to reduce our footprint.

Read the full manifesto here.