The Registered Master Builders Federation’s Commercial & Contracts Committee was formed well over 20 years ago and is made up of highly respected and experienced industry leaders from the commercial building sector.
The purpose of the committee is to provide the RMBF practical policy advice around the many issues that arise from the sector — for example, the definition of building classes for licensing, health and safety, developing national standards in contracts such as 3910 and 3915, specifications around building products and a plethora of other subjects — there were 26 items on the last set of minutes alone.
The exceptional level of expertise within the group gives the RMBF significant clout to advocate on behalf of members and the sector as a whole.
“The C&C Committee is the powerhouse for the RMBF,” chief executive Pieter Burghout says. “Major contractors and commercial builders have an influential role on matters that affect their patch, and this has a significant flow-on effect for our members, both commercial and residential.”
“The hardest part is the sheer number of issues they deal with on our behalf! There are many things going on in the industry at present, and we’re extremely fortunate to have the committee as part of our network,” Mr Burghout says.
The committee has been instrumental in challenging the Government on aspects of the Building Act, and has brought about relevant changes on behalf of the industry.
One example of this was a change to the Public Use provisions of the Act whereby no member of the public was allowed access to any building sites (even in cases where businesses were still operating within the building).
The committee contested its practicality and instigated workable solutions to bring about change to the Act. It has also taken a major leadership role in the development of the Licenced Building Practitioner scheme.
The Department of Building and Housing (DBH) relies very heavily on the experience and expertise of this group to ensure they are working with a realistic view of the building industry.
In particular, committee member and RMBF president Ashley Hartley has put in many hours working with the DBH on ensuring it produces relevant and “builder-friendly” documentation.
Committee chair Brian Nightingale of McFee Fehl Constructors Ltd says he finds it invaluable to be given the chance to compare and evaluate experiences with other people in the industry.
“Keeping up to date with contracts and statutes that impact on our business can be difficult on your own, so it’s great to have one central point to discuss industry issues and provide RMBF considered advice to enable them to act on our members’ behalf as a united voice.”
The C&C Committee is a very unique group of people. To have this much experience and knowledge meeting on a regular basis to solve issues relating to the industry is difficult to put a value on.
Committee members:
Brian Nightingale (Chair) McKee Fehl Constructors Ltd
Ashley Hartley (RMBF president) Gemco Construction Ltd
Neil Shaw RMBF
Robert Finlay Hawkins Construction Ltd
John Hale Fletcher Construction
Gavin Clyne Naylor Love Construction Ltd
David Baker Amalgamated Construction Ltd
Ross Walker Walker Builders Ltd
Mary Haggie Kensington Swann
Peter Fehl Auckland University
David Beard Foster Construction Ltd
