Issue 95 March - April 2013

It is now six months since the 2012 Amendment regulations were introduced and only three months away from when they take affect and bring about the biggest shake-up to certification since self-certification was introduced in 1992.

Much of the focus of discussion has been around the new Electrical Safety Certificates (ESCs) which have to be issued following the completion of all low-risk maintenance work and after installation work is connected.

Out of the ashes of the Hartner Construction collapse in 2001 rose the 2002 Construction Contracts Act, which aimed to give subcontractors a degree of security around payments.

Just over 10 years later, it seems nothing much has really changed, with subcontractors again bearing the brunt of another major construction company failure. No doubt the blame and recriminations surrounding Mainzeal’s management performance leading up to the collapse of New Zealand’s third largest construction company will continue for months to come, but if any good is to come from such a tragedy this time, then the industry needs to focus on the clearly unresolved issues surrounding subcontractors payments. A strong message needs to be sent to politicians that there needs to be further change.