A new Critical Materials Taskforce will bring together industry experts to identify emerging supply chain risks in the building and construction industry, the Minister for Building and Construction, Megan Woods said today.
The new entity includes sector leaders from the Government’s Plasterboard Taskforce, which was set up in June 2022 and has been reshaped to incorporate experts covering smaller operations, design, consenting, products and procurement.
“The Critical Materials Taskforce will build on the successes of the Plasterboard Taskforce and use the valuable lessons learnt to be proactive and forward-looking, so we can identify emerging risks and respond as quickly as possible,” Minister Woods said.
A total of 4.6 million square metres of plasterboard and plaster-related products have been imported between January and October – enough to build over 9,000 homes, and a 444% increase in the amount of plasterboard imported into New Zealand.
“Bringing together construction, building consent, and supply chain experts into a taskforce earlier this year showed how government and the sector successfully worked together to trouble shoot plasterboard shortages quickly and pragmatically. We didn’t over complicate. Industry talked. We listened. It worked,” said the Minister
“While we can be optimistic about the opportunities for our economy, we also need to remain cautious. We know we are facing a period of global turmoil. There will be more headwinds, which potentially means more materials shortages. We are ready.”
The Ministry of Building, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) will lead the Critical Materials and Products Work Programme (CMAP Programme) in partnership with the Critical Materials Taskforce.
The Taskforce will proactively explore what’s happening in the building materials sector to provide guidance, advice, data and information and inform the CMAP Programme so they can mitigate emerging supply risks.
Minister Woods will be kept informed of the work programme and the taskforce’s meetings and actions through weekly reports from MBIE.
Members of the Critical Materials Taskforce are:
- David Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of Registered Master Builders Association of New Zealand (Plasterboard Taskforce member);
- Rick Herd, Chief Executive Officer of Naylor Love (Plasterboard Taskforce member);
- Tex Edwards, 2degrees founder (Plasterboard Taskforce member);
- Julien Leys, Chief Executive of NZ Building Industry Federation;
- Matthew Duder, Managing Director of EBOSS;
- Malcolm Fleming, Chief Executive of New Zealand Certified Builders;
- Jeff Fahrensohn, Manager Inspections, Building Control at Auckland Council;
- Keryn Davis, Chief Executive of Architectural Designers New Zealand;
- Teena Hale Pennington, Chief Executive of Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects;
- Andrea Morton, Director Procurement & Supplier Management, Commercial Group at Kāinga Ora.
