20 years ago:
• New Zealand’s largest shopping destination was under construction in Manukau City. The Manukau Supa Centre was being built on a 10ha site and covered 500,000 sq ft — one and a half times the area of the country’s largest shopping centre at St Lukes in Auckland.
It was the first time a comprehensive “power centre” development had been undertaken in New Zealand. Large format centres grouping bulky-goods retailers, offered combined groupings of large retailers low rentals and occupancy costs compared to conventional shopping malls.
The developer, Jonmer Projects Ltd, wanted to make the centre unique and attractive to new retailers, including mjor Australian companies who, until then, could not find a development in New Zealand that met their needs.
15 years ago:
• The launch had taken place of the Cradle to the Grave concept, which looked to bring on board apprentices and tradesmen as part of the Registered Master Builders family.
Members received notification from the Federation outlining the benefits and the entry form for the registration of their apprentices and tradespeople.
RMBF chief executive Chris Preston said it was important that members encouraged apprentices and tradesmen to become part of the Federation.
“This will enable them to benefit not only from the tangible rewards offered with respect to petrol discounts and the like, but also to give them an opportunity to understand what the RMBF is all about,” he said.
“At some stage in the future they will also be able to take business courses to speed up their advancement to becoming a full Registered Master Builder.”
10 years ago:
• Builders ranked 14th out of 30 professions in the annual Reader’s Digest Trust Survey, finishing just ahead of accountants and religious ministers/priests, and just behind chiropractors and personal trainers.
Firefighters finished top for the third year running, just ahead of ambulance officers, pilots, nurses and doctors.
Not surprisingly, politicians finished bottom just below car salesmen, telemarketers, psychics, real estate agents and journalists!
New Zealand’s most trusted person was Sir Edmund Hillary.
5 years ago:
• External plasterers and brickies and blocklayers were in short supply — if the numbers signing up to become Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs) was a guide.
Only 10% of target numbers of brick and blocklayers, and 13% of external plasterers had signed up for the LBP scheme.
Restricted Building Work was to be introduced in March 2012, with the Government launching the licensing scheme as one of a raft of changes to the construction industry designed to streamline the sector, increase productivity and career pathways, and upskill the workforce.
Carpenters and construction company management were advised to encourage their specialist trades to become licensed if they didn’t want delays to their building projects.
