59214 (2025). Arena Williams to the Minister for Building and Construction

59214 (2025). Arena Williams to the Minister for Building and Construction: What safeguards, if any, exist in the Building (Product Certification) Amendment Regulations 2025 to protect against fraudulent certifications?

Hon Chris Penk: The Building (Product Certification) Amendment Regulations 2025 (the regulations) set criteria that will be applied when recognising overseas certified building products and methods, groups of overseas standards and standards certification schemes. The regulations include a range of safeguards to protect against fraudulent certifications. Overseas standards and overseas certified building products will only be recognised if (among other criteria) there is sufficient evidence to establish that the products comply with the New Zealand Building Code. Any certificates linked to suspended or revoked bodies will be excluded. These measures are intended to prevent the use of counterfeit or unreliable documentation. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) also monitors the market, investigates complaints and may take enforcement action under the Building Act 2004 when deemed necessary. Regulation 18 sets out criteria that the chief executive of MBIE must be satisfied are met before recognising building products or building methods certified under an overseas product certification scheme. Among other features, the chief executive must be satisfied that the organisation responsible for certifying the building products or methods has robust processes, including to ensure independence and integrity of certifications. Regulation 19 sets out similar criteria that the Minister for Building and Construction must be satisfied are met before the Minister recognises standards issued by overseas standards organisations or recognises a standards certification scheme. MBIE will evaluate standards and standards certification schemes based on these criteria and advise the Minister, prior to the Minister making decisions.