Photo: RNZ /Angus Dreaver
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has asked the Housing Minister to look at whether building regulations for high density accommodation are fit for purpose.
It comes after a fatal fire at Wellington's Loafers Lodge has left at least six people dead.
"I have asked the Minister for Housing to look particularly at issues around building regulation, to see whether there is anything we should be doing right at this point," Hipkins said.
"What we will be looking at closely is just the building regulations around higher-density accommodation like a hostel environment."
He said that would include looking at whether the regulations were fit for purpose, and could either lead to regulatory or legislative changes.
"Of course, there are a range of reviews that will already be kicking into place, my understanding is that the site is now being handed over from Fire and Emergency to police, we need to give them the space to do their work.
"What comes out of their work of course will inform decisions about what a future review might look like."
He said it was still unclear what had actually happened.
"We will get more information fairly soon as that police investigation continues," he said.
"I haven't got anything to add to the information that's been released and of course we won't have confirmed information about that until police have entered the building. I understand they now have, but once they've actually done their work in the building then we'll know."
Woods was asked if this meant she would carry out an overall review of the Building Code.
"I've already asked officials to give me advice in terms of what we need to do to ensure that buildings are safe for New Zealanders," she said.
Green Party co-leader James Shaw, who yesterday expressed anger at the response to the fire said the political response to the fire should be wider ranging that just looking at the code.
"I think it's important to show people that the government needs to be in action on this and to be treating it seriously in terms of all of the issues around this," he said.
"Yes, the building code is one matter. I raised the issue around the equipment the firefighters have got access to. Also the fact that people are forced to live in quite poor conditions - I mean they've got very few options in life, that comes down to public housing, to incomes, and so on - and these are obviously related to each other."
He said the Greens had a long tradition of advocating for better build quality, and suggested that would continue into the election campaign.
"We want people to have houses but we also want to make sure those houses are safe and warm and dry, and not lethal. We think that's a fairly reasonable request and there's no reason we would stop that at this election."
Green co-leader Marama Davidson said the Kāinga Ora build programme, due to end next year, should also be extended with more funding.
"We absolutely need more public housing, more council housing, affordable housing for the public good. Yesterday's fire at Loafers was one manifestation of when we are not treating housing as a human right.
"Those are political decisions that politicians have control of and we should be prioritising a massive upscale of public, affordable, quality housing."
She was confident the economy had enough capacity for it.
"There is enough, we have what we need, it's about what we value and we actually can rebalance wealth to make sure that we are making wise decisions for those big problems and for the future as well."
Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
