Back In Time

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20 years ago:

The failure to meet a tight annual report deadline of January 14, 1997, placed the BCITO in financial jeopardy. The government agency that allocated and distributed government funding to ITOs, the Education and Training Support Agency (ETSA), was withholding $700,000 from the BCITO because it had not furnished its annual report by the deadline date.

Chief executive Trevor Allsebrook said while the BCITO had been aware of the report deadline, he said it was “quite unrealistic to expect a comprehensive annual report to be produced within 14 days”.

“It’s an extremely short time given the work involved and, of course, that two-week period also includes a sizable holiday chunk. I can only think ETSA’s decision to hold back funds is either a punitive move or a suggestion that the BCITO is going down the tubes financially.

“If the former is the case, it’s pathetic and shows a total lack of business acumen, because ITOs don’t run a large float and, quite simply, won’t have the money to operate and pay creditors.

“We’re not broke, but we will be in big trouble if we don’t get the money we’re due,” Mr Allsebrook said.

 

15 years ago:

New Zealand’s biggest brick manufacturer, Monier Brickmakers, claimed 42% of all new homes built in New Zealand during the past 12 months had brick veneer claddings, significantly clear of its nearest rival, fibre cement.

Eight years ago, in 1994, brick cladding’s market share was just 25%.

However, Monier said it had recorded “an abnormally high” level of enquiry on the back of house weathertightness and rot issues.

 

10 years ago:

A nationwide transparent and systematic system of quality assurance across the broad spectrum of the building industry which ensures that those responsible for failures are accountable was essential in the current leaky homes environment, according to the New Zealand Building Industry Federation.

Acting Federation chief executive Bruce Kohn said the alternative may well be an ongoing financial blood bath for ratepayers under the “last man standing” liability system.

“The encouraging factor is the great deal of work going on within territorial authorities, industry and departments to structure a system that provides a greater deal of assurance to home buyers,” Mr Kohn said.

“It is essential that the system that emerges from these activities provides for assurance that building products and systems are fit for purpose, that appraisers, testers and builders are well qualified for the tasks they undertake, and that territorial councils, as Building Consent Authorities, and industry have a transparent and consistent system within which to operate.

 

5 years ago:

The number of tradespeople applying to become licensed had increased markedly since the Department of Building and Housing’s consumer information TV campaign, Build It Right, began in mid-January 2012.

Within days of the first advert running, the number of people requesting application packs more than tripled, with the licensing team sending out more packs in just a few days than what they would normally send in a month.

 

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