Government announces major overhaul of building consent system

Monday 18 August 2025 · 5 outlets · 7 reports · updated Mon 18 Aug 2025, 7:50pm

In this story Christopher Luxon, Chris Penk

The Government is introducing significant reforms to the Building Act to address a sluggish consenting process. Proposed changes include allowing councils to merge consenting functions, permitting more private operator involvement, and scrapping the current liability framework to prevent councils from being responsible for building defects.

How they headlined it

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1. The Press via The PostMon 18 Aug 2025, 5:00am

   Government to unveil big shake-up of building regulations (opens in new tab)

   • Government announces ‘biggest building consent reform in decades’ (opens in new tab) Mon 18 Aug 2025, 4:00pm
2. RNZMon 18 Aug 2025, 11:25am

   Big changes coming for building consent system - coalition (opens in new tab)

   • Watch: Major shake-up of building consents announced (opens in new tab) Mon 18 Aug 2025, 7:50pm
3. NZ HeraldMon 18 Aug 2025, 3:26pm

   Watch: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Minister Chris Penk announce construction changes (opens in new tab)

4. StuffMon 18 Aug 2025, 4:00pm

   Building consent overhaul ‘the most significant in a generation’, minister says (opens in new tab)

5. 1NewsMon 18 Aug 2025, 4:00pm

   Govt to rewrite liability provisions in building consents reform (opens in new tab)