May 2025

8 May

Written By Emma Thomas

BIF May 2025 newsletter

BIF Newsletter

May 2025

In this newsletter:

Industry news at a glance
BIF NZ launches new series on YouTube
StatsNZ: Home consents down in year ended March 2025
Coming up: FMTA Conference
Concrete NZ Conference
Silicosis research

Industry news at a glance

1News: Govt to allow larger granny flats to be built without consents

(Photo: file image via 1News)

BusinessDesk: Apprenticeships to be moved to new industry skills boards

(Photo: Peter de Graaf via BusinessDesk)

NZ Herald: Cabinet rating sees Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk score 9/10, ties for first

(Photo: Mark Mitchell via NZ Herald)

Stuff: Nelson woman becomes a qualified tradie at 56

(Photo: Braden Fastier/Stuff)

RNZ: How Rotorua is bucking the trend for new home builds

(Photo: Andrew Warner via RNZ)

BusinessDesk: Long way to go before building regulatory gaps are plugged

(Photo: Paul Rickard via BusinessDesk)

NZ Herald: BCI names NZ's busiest commercial builders for projects started in 2024

(Murray Robertson, chief executive of Downer NZ, which owns Hawkins. Hawkins been named as New Zealand’s busiest commercial builder. Photo: Michael Craig)

BIF NZ launches new series on YouTube

We are excited to share the first instalment of the Building Leaders Forum, a new YouTube series presented by BIF NZ.

The Building Leaders Forum sees Julien Leys, BIF NZ Chief Executive, chatting with key leaders in their field from throughout the building and construction industry. In this first episode, Julien chats with Aurelie Le Gall, GM of Fletcher Living, one of the largest residential construction businesses in NZ, to find out more about the business, her role and her passions, as well as getting her take on the opportunities and challenges facing the industry.

New episodes uploaded monthly.

Click here to view first video on YouTube.

Stats NZ: Home consents down in year ended March 2025

Stats NZ has released new data around home consents, revealing that new homes consented in Aotearoa New Zealand are down 3.3% compared with the year ended March 2024. Meanwhile, compared with the March 2024 quarter, new homes consented are up 6%.

For more information on this data, click here, or visit www.stats.govt.nz.

via Stats NZ

Coming up: FMTA Conference

The Frame & Truss Manufacturers Association (FMTA) NZ conference is coming up.

Held in Rotorua, the conference will run from 16-18 July.

For wood and general material suppliers, building industry practitioners, and all those interest in wood-based construction, this is set to be a valuable event.

For more information on this conference, including registration, visit www.fmta.co.nz.

Concrete NZ Conference

Concrete NZ are holding their 2025 conference in Auckland in October.

The conference brings together concrete industry and construction sector professionals. With trade exhibitors, live demonstrations, and displays of the latest products and technologies, this conference is set to be both educational and engaging.

For more information, click here.

Silicosis research

The University of Sydney has published research finding that one in 10 tunnel workers at risk of silicosis.

The research estimates up to 300 of 2042 workers across three major transport projects in Brisbane, Australia, would develop silicosis because of exposures to silica dust in their lifetime.

However, Australian policy responses have focussed on those working with engineered stone - now subject to widespread bans across Australia - and not other types of exposure.

View an article from the Sydney Morning Herald about the research here.