Property

Building problems 'ignored', says engineer

The Auckland engineer who blew the whistle on New Zealand's dangerous high-rise construction practices last year has attacked the Government for ignoring the problem.

Wednesday, August 25th 2004

John Scarry, now a contract design engineer with Ponsonby engineers Lewis and Williamson, said yesterday that the new Building Act passed this month had dealt with leaky houses but "does absolutely nothing to address the serious problems in structural engineering".

The president of the Structural Engineering Society, Dr Barry Davidson, said he was "exasperated" too. "This [act] has been written by people who don't even know what an earthquake is," he said.

"It's a time bomb waiting to go off. When we get an earthquake in Turkey or somewhere we smugly think that's a Third World country and it won't happen here, but I wonder how smug they are when it happens in Wellington?

Read More - Opens in a new window

Property investors refocus on cash flow

More Stories

Wednesday, April 17th 2024

Rate cuts needed to lift mood

The enthusiasm that followed the change in government, mainly from property investors, has waned as homeowners and buyers hang out for interest rate cuts, says Kiwibank.

Monday, March 18th 2024

Support for regulation

REINZ has emphasised the need for property management regulation to Parliament’s Social Services and Community Committee.

Thursday, March 14th 2024

A better investment market

“Reinstatement of interest deductibility starting from the new tax year on 1 April brings property investors back in line with every other business in the country, where interest costs are a legitimate deductible expense," Tim Horsbrugh, New Zealand Property Investors Federation (NZPIF) executive committee member says.

Thursday, March 14th 2024

[OPINION] Recessionary times

It is not the best out there for many businesses and property sector people. Sales are down across the board, our clients’ confidence is falling, and there is a lot of uncertainty.

Heartland Bank - Online	6.69
SBS FirstHome Combo	6.74
Wairarapa Building Society	6.95
Unity	6.99
Co-operative Bank - First Home Special	7.04
ICBC	7.05
China Construction Bank	7.09
BNZ - Classic	7.24
ASB Bank	7.24
ANZ Special	7.24
TSB Special	7.24

Unity First Home Buyer special	6.45
Heartland Bank - Online	6.45
TSB Special	6.75
Westpac Special	6.75
China Construction Bank	6.75
ASB Bank	6.75
ICBC	6.75
AIA - Go Home Loans	6.75
Kiwibank Special	6.79
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ	6.79
ANZ Special	6.79

ASB Bank	6.39
Westpac Special	6.39
AIA - Go Home Loans	6.39
China Construction Bank	6.40
ICBC	6.49
SBS Bank Special	6.55
Kiwibank Special	6.55
BNZ - Classic	6.55
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ	6.55
TSB Special	6.59
Kainga Ora	6.99

SBS FirstHome Combo	6.19
AIA - Back My Build	6.19
ANZ Blueprint to Build	7.39
Credit Union Auckland	7.70
ICBC	7.85
Heartland Bank - Online	7.99
Pepper Money Essential	8.29
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ	8.40
Co-operative Bank - Standard	8.40
First Credit Union Standard	8.50
Kiwibank	8.50