30 May 2005

New Building Practitioners Board announced

Building Issues Minister Chris Carter has announced the membership of the Building Practitioners Board, which will play a key role in the introduction of a system of licensing for the building industry.

The Board members include: Alan Bickers (chairperson), Paul Blackler (deputy chairperson), Patrick Lawrence, Jane Cuming, Graham Moor, Colin Orchiston, David Clark and David O'Connell.

"These board members have a strong industry background, and I am confident the Board will be well equipped to play an important leadership role in the development of a professional framework for the building sector," Mr Carter said.

The Building Practitioners Board will approve rules around licensing, including license standards for building practitioners. Building practitioners will likely include builders, designers, bricklayers, carpenters, and roofers. The board will also hear complaints against licensed practitioners, and hear appeals against licensing decisions.

The licensing of building practitioners comes into effect in 2009, and forms part of a comprehensive set of initiatives to improve standards in the building sector. The idea of licensing is to ensure critical work on buildings is only carried out by competent people.

Who are the members of the Building Practitioners Board?

Mr Alan Bickers (chairperson)
Mr Bickers is currently a Director of Catalyst Management Services offering management consultation services to public and private sector clients. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) and is a Chartered Professional Engineer. He is an Associate of the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute NZ and a Justice of the Peace.
Mr Bickers has worked for four local authorities with the last position as Chief Executive of Tauranga City/District Council (1987-1995). Mr Bickers has served on the Standards Council of NZ (1993-1997), Bay of Plenty Health Board and on the board of Transit NZ (1997-2004) with the last three and a half years as Chair. He has spent the last two decades involved with the Institution of Professional Engineers NZ (including President 1991-1992) and is current chair of their Disciplinary Committee. Mr Bickers has been appointed for a three-year term.

Mr Paul Blackler (Deputy chairperson)
Mr Blackler is currently Chief Executive Officer of Chas S Luney Limited, a commercial construction company in Christchurch. He has moved through the ranks of this company starting as an apprentice carpenter.
Mr Blackler is a trade certified carpenter and has served on the Boards of Canterbury Registered Master Builders and Site Safe NZ. He is a Board member of the CPIT Trades Innovation Institute Advisory Board and is a member of the NZ Institute of Building (NZIOB). In 1997, Mr Blackler received the NZIOB / James Hardie Award for Excellence in the Building Profession (residential). Mr Blackler has been appointed for a five-year term.

Mr Patrick Lawrence
Mr Lawrence is currently the Building Controls Manager for the Rotorua District Council – a position he has held since 1995. He is due to retire at the end of 2005. Mr Lawrence is a trade certified carpenter and a Justice of the Peace. He has been appointed to Judicial Justice serving on the bench of the Rotorua District Court since 2003.
Mr Lawrence has held a number of public sector roles all related to the building industry. He has been President of the Waikato/Bay of Plenty branch of the Building Officials Institute of NZ and acknowledged by Local Government NZ as a key contact by his peers regarding the previous Building Act.
Mr Lawrence has been appointed for a five-year term.

Ms Jane Cuming

Ms Cuming is currently Building Standards Manager for Placemakers working with their suppliers and customers on regulatory changes at a technical level. This includes managing the content and co-presenting Placemakers LIFT education programme to 2500-3000 builders and sub-trades annually.

Ms Cuming is a trade certified carpenter and holds a Certificate in Teaching Adults. Previous roles include Education Advisor for the Building Industry Authority and Technical Sales Rep for James Hardie Building Products. She won Wellington Polytechnic’s Bill Wright cup for Best Apprentice and Fletcher’s Top Apprentice award.
Ms Cuming is past-president and current Board member of the National Association of Women in Construction.
Ms Cuming has been appointed for a three-year term.

Mr Graham Moor
Mr Moor is the managing director of Bay of Islands Roofing Ltd and oversees sales, training, work supervision and business management. Mr Moor has grown the business from four staff to 12 staff and has thirteen years experience in running a business. Seven of his staff are working toward Roofing National Certificates.

Mr Moor is a registered plumber and holds national certificates in three roofing types. He is a NZQA Registered Industry Assessor. He was accepted as a member of the Roofing Association of NZ in 1997 and has served on their executive since 2002. He is currently Chair of their Technical Committee.

Mr Moor has been appointed for a five-year term.

Mr Colin Orchiston

Mr Orchiston is principal of Orchiston & Associates: Architecture and Dispute Resolution. He is also an associate and Managing Architect of Tse Group Ltd Wellington, a consulting firm in surveying, valuation, architecture and engineering. He is a part time tertiary level tutor in practice management and project management, and a Director of NZ Architects Co-operative Society.

Mr Orchiston is a Registered Architect and holds qualifications in Valuation and Dispute Resolution. He is a Fellow of the NZ Institute of Architects and of the Arbitrator's and Mediators Institute of NZ, and on the Arbitration Adjudication and Mediation panels for the latter. In 2003/2004 he served as a Weathertight Homes Resolution Services mediator.

Mr Orchiston has been appointed for a three-year term.

Mr David Clark, Lawyer
Mr Clark is a senior partner of Wilson McKay undertaking a range of commercial and civil litigation work. Clients include homeowners, developers, contractors, builders and financiers.

Mr Clark gained his LLB in 1987 and was admitted to the bar in 1988. He is an Associate of the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of NZ and is currently engaged by the Department of Internal Affairs as a Weathertight Homes Service mediator.

Other professional activities include being a Code of Conduct Commissioner for NZ Cricket and a faculty member of the NZ Law Society Litigation Skills programme. He was formerly on the Executive of Te Runanga Roia O Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland Maori Lawyers Association).

Mr Clark has been appointed for a five-year term.

Mr David O’Connell

Mr O’Connell is currently National Secretary, NZ Building Trades Union (NZBTU), liaising widely with industry representatives and representing NZBTU on trade training organisations.

Mr O’Connell is a time served carpenter and a Justice of the Peace.

Mr O’Connell has 30 years experience with NZBTU with current board appointments including the Joinery Industry Training Organisation and Site Safe Incorporated. He is also on the Building Construction ITO’s National Advisory Committee and a Board member of Unimed Medical Insurance. He has been a member on Apprenticeship committees and training organisation boards setting competencies for trainees.

Mr O’Connell has been appointed for a three-year term.

ENDS

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