  
13. New Department of Building and HousingOn 30 June 2004 the State Services Minister Trevor Mallard and Acting Housing Minister Rick Barker announced several changes to government agencies aimed at improving and streamlining building and housing services for the public. The Ministry of Housing will be expanded through the transfer of relevant functions from the Ministry of Economic Development, Department of Internal Affairs, and Ministry of Social Development. The expanded Ministry of Housing will be a one-stop shop, renamed the Department of Building and Housing. "Our government is committed to strengthening the public service so it better serves New Zealanders. Our decisions from the housing sector review will see a 'one-stop-shop' for regulatory issues and standards affecting building and housing, and for dispute resolutions," Trevor Mallard said. "It will provide a much more integrated approach to policy development and advice to government, and to compliance and enforcement." Rick Barker said a recent review of agencies with housing and building-related responsibilities had found building and housing regulatory and dispute resolution functions were spread across too many departments. "Consequently resources are spread too thinly, it is difficult to develop 'critical mass' for policy advice, and policy and operations are too distant from one another," Rick Barker said. "The improvements will be of real benefit to the housing and building industries also, as we bring together people who are already working on similar issues but in different departments." The reconfigured department will: - carry out the present work of the Ministry of Housing;
- manage the administration of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act 2002;
- be responsible for administration of the new Building Act (including absorbing the functions and employees of the Building Industry Authority) and the occupational licensing regulation associated with the building and housing sector;
- administer the Retirement Villages legislation currently administered by the Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Economic Development;
- perform a range of other duties including regulation of housing standards, administration of the legislation around the fencing of swimming pools (currently with the Department of Internal Affairs), and Electrical Workers Licensing; and
- provide policy advice to Government in relation to the dispute resolution and regulatory responsibilities. The new department is expected to be in place by November 2004, with the transfer of functions to be carefully phased in over the next couple of years. "In particular, users of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service should be assured that the service will be transferred intact to the re-configured department, and will continue to operate as a dedicated service," Rick Barker said. The department will work closely with Housing New Zealand Corporation, which will retain its current responsibilities including leadership of the development and implementation of the New Zealand Housing Strategy.
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