5. Question No. 5—Building and ConstructionGREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister for Building and ConstructionQuestion No. 5—Building and Construction5. GREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu) to the Minister for Building and Construction: What action is the Government taking to address the shortage of plasterboard in New Zealand?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister for Building and Construction): Today I announced the Government is establishing a ministerial task force of leading construction and supply chain experts to develop further measures—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member will resume her seat. [Interruption] And when I stand people will be quiet Mr Doocey. This is an area where there is a lot of concern. Even if no other member wants to hear the answer I do. The Hon Dr Megan Woods please start again.Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Today I announced the Government is establishing a ministerial task force of leading construction and supply chain experts to develop further measures to ease the plasterboard shortage that New Zealand's building sector is currently facing. Fletcher Building with its Gib brand currently makes up around 95 percent of New Zealand's plasterboard market and has not been able to keep up with current demands. And this as we all know is having a significant negative impact on construction companies across the country—both big and small. The task force will develop quick solutions for the current supply chain constraints such as examining whether legislative or regulatory change is needed and streamlining the use of products approved elsewhere to be used here. Additionally yesterday I wrote to Fletcher Building seeking confirmation that they would not enforce their trademark to protect the use of the colours of the Gib products which can be a significant barrier to importing alternative plasterboard products. I'm happy to confirm they are not enforcing their trademarks and have assured me they will not do so until May 2023.Greg O'Connor: What else will the task force consider to free up supply of plasterboard?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The ministerial task force which will report to me as the Minister for Building and Construction will also look to ways to streamline the approval of products that are approved in other countries for use in the New Zealand market; explore new distribution models; ensure there is a consistent approach to consenting across New Zealand; and act as a forum for related supply chain concerns. The task force will be comprised of Naylor Love CEO Rick Herd Master Builders CEO Dave Kelly Simplicity Living's Shane Brealy Sir Stephen Tindall a representative from Local Government New Zealand and businessman Tex Edwards. The task force will be supported by the Construction Sector Accord and will deliver real solutions to the current plasterboard supply constraints.Greg O'Connor: How is the Government ensuring that New Zealand's residential building products market is fair for consumers?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The ministerial task force is a pragmatic but short-term approach for dealing with the current and immediate plasterboard shortage. That's why the Government has also asked the Commerce Commission to understand if competition in our residential building supplies market is working to answer questions surrounding the high concentration of some brands in the supply chains. The Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs will receive the commission's final advice in December which will provide the tools for the Government to address material supply constraints for other building products before they impact on our construction sector.Andrew Bayly: Will she fast track legislation this week to enable new international sources of plasterboard to immediately supply the New Zealand market provided that plasterboard meets the New Zealand standards and if not why not? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: One of the considerations that the task force will have will be whether or not there needs to be legislative or regulatory change—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order!Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Mr Speaker if only the world was as simple as the member opposite—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! Order! I think the member probably didn't make an offensive comment then but I can't tell because of the noise that is coming all right? I want to be able to hear the Minister's answer and not place at risk suggestions that the Minister is acting inappropriately.Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: As I was saying if only the world were as simple as the member is suggesting. One of the issues that will need to be considered and that we already have been considering is the way in which guidance is issued to our Building Consent Authorities (BCA). New Zealand tends to use plasterboard in a slightly different way than most jurisdictions. It is used more as a structural element in construction compared to Australia. Also from what I've seen in media reports of the member's proposed member's bill which I believe hasn't been lodged—SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member's now got way beyond her responsibility.David Seymour: What will the ministerial task force be able to achieve that herself and all of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) haven't already being able to do and if nothing then isn't this just window dressing—SPEAKER: Order! Order! Order! Mr Doocey stand withdraw and apologise. Was that the member who made that noise or was it the member sitting next to him? Mr Doocey did you make a noise during that question? Mr Brown did you? Ask the question again.David Seymour: Thank you Mr Speaker. Can the Minister explain what this ministerial task force will be able to achieve that herself and all of MBIE haven't been able to do to date and if she can't explain it is this not just window dressing for having no solution?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: What this task force will do is work in partnership with our Government because we are a Government that believes in working in partnership with industry. A number of the people that are on this task force that we've been working with for a number of weeks now actually have 28 containers full of Gib on the way to New Zealand. What we want to do is ensure that we are working with industry in partnership to ensure there are no impediments to the private sector being able to achieve what they need to.David Seymour: Is not the task force going to ultimately recommend that councils be required to accept suitable substitutes to Gib board as plasterboard in New Zealand and if that is the case why don't we just have MBIE keep a material equivalent register—as recommended by ACT—right now solve the problem done?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: As I said if only the world were as simple as some members in this Chamber tend to think it is. One of the issues we will need to look at is what further resourcing brands may need in order to do certification of new products that are coming in. We also need to look at the issues around risk and how we manage that with the BCA.