Search

• Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me here to speak with you today.

• I know we share some common concerns in regard to increasing quality in the building industry, not just through practitioners but also in ensuring the quality of products used.

• Like you, I support practical regulation of the industry through national and consistent application of the New Zealand Building Code and New Zealand standards.

• Good morning, and welcome to you all. It’s great to be here today to open the first Shallow Survey conference to be held in New Zealand.

• A special welcome to those of you who have travelled to be here today. I understand that in addition to the New Zealand delegates from around the country we also have a diverse international audience here with us.

• I hope you enjoy your time here, and that you get the opportunity to explore some of what our wonderful capital city has to offer.

The Government’s three border agencies are stepping up work to make trade and travel more efficient through better co-ordination of border services.

Primary Industries Minister David Carter, Customs Minister Maurice Williamson and Immigration Minister Nathan Guy today announced “Future Directions for the Border Sector”, a work programme to look at how the three agencies can operate together more effectively.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson and Associate Finance Minister Jonathan Coleman said today’s High Court judgment on the judicial review of Shanghai Pengxin’s bid to acquire the 16 Crafar farms provides a new judicial interpretation of complex legislation.

The High Court considered the case on two grounds. These were:

The release today of the technical report into the collapse of the CTV building in Christchurch will be a tough day for the friends and families of those who lost their lives in the building, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

"The report provides insight into why the building collapsed on 22 February. It also raises some serious questions about the structural integrity of the building," Mr Brownlee said.

• Welcome to you all and thank you for asking me to speak to you this evening

• I think this is a very important time to be in the Building and Construction sector there are a lot of changes happening and I am gratified by the support we have received from you on our package of reforms

CTV report

• Today the Department of Building and Housing released the final report into the collapse of the CTV building in Christchurch in the 22 February quake.

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson and Associate Minister of Finance Dr Jonathan Coleman have accepted the recommendation of the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) to grant consent to Milk New Zealand Holding Limited (Milk New Zealand), a subsidiary of Shanghai Pengxin Group Co. Limited, to acquire the 16 Crafar farms.

"It is clear that all criteria under sections 16 and 18 of the Overseas Investment Act 2005 have been met, therefore we accept the recommendation of the OIO to grant consent," Mr Williamson said.